What stands out worked out from the figures below

Massena has the most people working from home (5.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Massena	Dunkirk
People
Population	10,238Lowest	12,549Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.2%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+1.4%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	42.6±4.7Lowest 7% above NY	43.7±3.1Highest 10% above NY
	Dunkirk and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±3.4Lowest 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+	20.4%±3.3Highest NY: 17.9%	19.1%±2.3Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Massena and Dunkirk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.1%Highest NY: 40.2%	16.4%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 7%	4.3%±1.5Highest NY: 7%
	Dunkirk and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$51,458±$7kLowest 40% below NY	$53,299±$6kHighest 38% below NY
	Dunkirk and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$94,400±$15kLowest 78% below NY	$94,700±$6kHighest 78% below NY
	Dunkirk and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$722±$44Lowest 55% below NY	$866±$81Highest 47% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,218Highest 51% below NY	$2,352Lowest 64% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.8%±11.4Highest NY: 52.1%	46.6%±7.7Lowest 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	24.3% NY: 14%	24.3% NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.4%Lowest NY: 54.3%	58.5%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Highest 5 yrs older than NY	1941Lowest 18 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 45% below NY	19 minHighest 42% below NY
Work from home	5.2%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9%	4.5%±2Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Massena and Dunkirk 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	—	#465 of 484 in NY
School district	—	DUNKIRK CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	—	DUNKIRK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	9.7
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.