Compare towns
Batavia vs Massena vs Dunkirk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Batavia has the most expensive homes ($149k median).
Massena has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Dunkirk has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.4%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Batavia | Massena | Dunkirk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,097Highest |
10,238Lowest |
12,549 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9% NY: +4.2% |
-7.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+1.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 42.9±2.1 8% above NY |
42.6±4.7Lowest 7% above NY |
43.7±3.1Highest 10% above NY |
| Dunkirk and Batavia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.4%±3.4 NY: 20.5% |
20%±2.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Dunkirk and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.8%±2.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
20.4%±3.3 NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.3Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Batavia and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.5% NY: 40.2% |
25.1%Highest NY: 40.2% |
16.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1 NY: 7% |
2.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
4.3%±1.5Highest NY: 7% |
| Dunkirk and Batavia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$6kHighest 31% below NY |
$51,458±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$53,299±$6k 38% below NY |
| Batavia and Dunkirk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,900±$7kHighest 65% below NY |
$94,400±$15kLowest 78% below NY |
$94,700±$6k 78% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $925±$35Highest 43% below NY |
$722±$44Lowest 55% below NY |
$866±$81 47% below NY |
| Batavia and Dunkirk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,326Highest 49% below NY |
$3,218 51% below NY |
$2,352Lowest 64% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±7.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
57.8%±11.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
46.6%±7.7 NY: 52.1% |
| Massena and Dunkirk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
24.3%Highest NY: 14% |
24.3%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
55.4% NY: 54.3% |
58.5%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944 15 yrs older than NY |
1954Highest 5 yrs older than NY |
1941Lowest 18 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 35% below NY |
18 minLowest 45% below NY |
19 min 42% below NY |
| Work from home | 5%±1.7 NY: 14.9% |
5.2%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
4.5%±2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Massena and Batavia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #254 of 484 in NY | — | #465 of 484 in NY |
| School district | BATAVIA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | DUNKIRK CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | BATAVIA HIGH SCHOOL | — | DUNKIRK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | 9.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.