Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Dunkirk, New York
A $91,000 home here costs
$1,012per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $43,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $496. The real number is $516 higher every month, 104% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Chautauqua County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Dunkirk against Chautauqua County and New York
| Measure | Dunkirk | Chautauqua County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $91,200 | $119,300 |
| Median property tax | $2,266 | $2,846 |
| Effective tax rate | 2.485% | 2.386% |
| Median gross rent | $905 | $797 |
| Population | 12,597 | 126,329 |
The weather behind that power bill
Dunkirk sits in Chautauqua County, which averages a high of 80.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 19.4°F in its coldest, with 45.66" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 667 cooling and 6,030 heating degree days, which is what sets the $164 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Chautauqua County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Chautauqua County
Full Chautauqua County cost breakdown · Every county in New York
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Dunkirk averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Dunkirk every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Dunkirk I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Dunkirk?
A $91,000 home in Dunkirk, New York costs approximately $1,012 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $496 principal and interest, $188 property tax, $20 homeowners insurance, $232 utilities and $76 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Dunkirk?
Dunkirk has an effective property tax rate of 2.485%, based on a median home value of $91,200 and median real estate taxes of $2,266. That is higher than the Chautauqua County average of 2.386%.
What is the average home price in Dunkirk?
The median owner-occupied home value in Dunkirk, New York is $91,200, against $119,300 across Chautauqua County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Dunkirk?
Median gross rent in Dunkirk is $905 a month, against $1,012 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Dunkirk?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Dunkirk, New York at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $43,500 a year. That covers the full $1,012 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Dunkirk, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for New York.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.