{{about|the Jay County city|the Cass County community|Dunkirk, Cass County, Indiana}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Dunkirk, Indiana | settlement_type = City | nickname = Glass capitol of Indiana | image_skyline = Dunkirk, Indiana Aerial.jpg | imagesize = 250px | image_caption = Aerial view of Dunkirk, Indiana | image_flag = | image_seal = | image_map = File:Blackford County and Jay County Indiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Dunkirk Highlighted 1819054.svg | mapsize = 250px | map_caption = Location of Dunkirk in Blackford County and Jay County, Indiana. | image_map1 = | mapsize1 = | map_caption1 = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{USA}} | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Indiana}} | subdivision_type2 = Counties | subdivision_name2 = Jay, Blackford | subdivision_type3 = Townships | subdivision_name3 = Richland, Jackson | government_type = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Jack Robbins (D) | area_note = | established_date = | area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_18.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 16, 2022}}</ref> | area_total_km2 = 3.07 | area_land_km2 = 3.04 | area_water_km2 = 0.03 | population_footnotes = | population_as_of = 2020 | population_est = 2068<ref name="IndianaDemographics"/> {{decrease}} | pop_est_as_of = 2025 | population_note = | population_total = 2164 | population_density_sq_mi = 1841.70 | population_density_km2 = 711.12 | timezone = EST | utc_offset = -5 | timezone_DST = EDT | utc_offset_DST = -4 | area_total_sq_mi = 1.19 | area_land_sq_mi = 1.18 | area_water_sq_mi = 0.01 | elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/> | elevation_ft = 951 | coordinates = {{coord|40|22|34|N|85|12|24|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}} | website = {{URL|http://www.cityofdunkirkin.com/}} | postal_code_type = ZIP code | postal_code = 47336 | area_code = 765 | blank_name = FIPS code | blank_info = 18-19054<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> | blank1_name = GNIS feature ID | blank1_info = 2394576<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2394576}}</ref> | footnotes = | unit_pref = Imperial }} '''Dunkirk''' is a city in Blackford and Jay counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 2,164 at the 2020 census.
==History== Dunkirk was originally called Quincy, and under the latter name was platted in 1853. When the first post office was established there, it was discovered there was already a Quincy, Indiana, and so the town was renamed Dunkirk to avoid repetition.<ref>{{cite web |title=Incorporated Cities and Towns |url=http://www.jaycountyhistory.org/2009/incorporated-cities-and-towns#more-1179 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529085622/http://www.jaycountyhistory.org/2009/incorporated-cities-and-towns#more-1179 |archive-date=2014-05-29 |access-date=28 May 2014 |publisher=Jay County Historical Society}}</ref>
The Dunkirk Post Office contains a mural, ''Preparations for Autumn Festival, Dunkirk'', painted in 1941 by Frances Foy. Murals were produced from 1934 to 1943 in the United States through the Section of Painting and Sculpture, later called the Section of Fine Arts, of the Treasury Department.<ref>Carlisle, John C., “A Simple and Vital Design: The Story of the Indiana Post Office Murals”, Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis, 1995 p.34-35</ref>
Dunkirk, referred as the Glass Capitol of Indiana, was once home to 23 glass factories, some no larger than a house. With the closure of Indiana Glass Company, only one glass factory remains. It produces approximately 2,500,000 beer bottles per day for Budweiser. The factory is an ultra-computerized modern facility employing 400 employees. Dunkirk also houses an extensive Glass Museum with glass manufactured worldwide. An annual Feel The Warmth downtown city event and a Mainstreet USA Festival. It also has a large 4 July Fireworks Display and Annual Event held at the large City Park.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Administrator |first=Jay County |title=Jay County Visitors & Tourism Bureau |url=http://www.visitjaycounty.com/about/local-communities/dunkirk |access-date=2017-08-26 |website=www.visitjaycounty.com |language=en-gb}}</ref>
Dunkirk is also home to one of the largest city parks in Jay County as well as a downtown Depot Park with Summer Concerts and Weekend Farmer Markets. The large Municipal provides 2 baseball fields, 1 large enclosed shelter house and a small open shelter building, various children related playground equipment, a basketball court, a large modern community center and a community swimming pool.
==Geography== Dunkirk is primarily in Jay County, though the northwestern portion of the town (west of Main Street and north of Blackford Avenue) lies in neighboring Blackford County. The southwestern portion of town also abuts Delaware County.
According to the 2010 census, Dunkirk has a total area of {{convert|1.26|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1819054 |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1 |access-date=2015-07-28 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213081822/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1819054 |archive-date=2020-02-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
===Climate=== Dunkirk has a typical Midwestern humid continental seasonal climate. There are four distinct seasons, with winters being cold with moderate snowfall, while summers can be warm and humid. The highest average temperature is in July at 84 °F (29 °C), while the lowest average temperature is in January at 15 °F (−9.0 °C). However, summer temperatures can top 90 °F (32 °C), and winter temperatures can drop below 0 °F (−17 °C). Average monthly precipitation ranges from about 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm), with the heaviest occurring during May, June, and July. The highest recorded temperature was 110.0 °F (43.3 °C) on July 14, 1936, and the lowest recorded temperature was −40.0 °F (−31.7 °C) on January 21, 1985.
{{Weather box |location = Dunkirk, Indiana |single line = Y |Jan high F = 32 |Feb high F = 37 |Mar high F = 48 |Apr high F = 60 |May high F = 71 |Jun high F = 80 |Jul high F = 84 |Aug high F = 82 |Sep high F = 76 |Oct high F = 64 |Nov high F = 50 |Dec high F = 38 |Jan low F = 15 |Feb low F = 18 |Mar low F = 28 |Apr low F = 38 |May low F = 49 |Jun low F = 58 |Jul low F = 62 |Aug low F = 59 |Sep low F = 50 |Oct low F = 39 |Nov low F = 31 |Dec low F = 21 |Jan precipitation inch = 1.89 |Feb precipitation inch = 1.84 |Mar precipitation inch = 2.69 |Apr precipitation inch = 3.50 |May precipitation inch = 4.06 |Jun precipitation inch = 4.42 |Jul precipitation inch = 4.40 |Aug precipitation inch = 3.65 |Sep precipitation inch = 3.02 |Oct precipitation inch = 2.62 |Nov precipitation inch = 3.23 |Dec precipitation inch = 2.58 |source 1 = The Weather Channel<ref name=weatherchan> {{cite web |url=http://weather.yahoo.com/climo/USIN0167_f.html?woeid=2394454 |title=Dunkirk Weather Records and Averages |publisher=Yahoo! |year=2011 |access-date=April 17, 2011 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> |date=April 2011 }}[[File:Study for mural of Native Vegetables SAAM-1962.8.47 1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.24|''Preparations for Autumn Festival, Dunkirk'' (1941), study by Frances Foy for the Dunkirk post office mural]]
==Demographics== {{US Census population | 1880 = 662 | 1890 = 1024 | 1900 = 3187 | 1910 = 3031 | 1920 = 2532 | 1930 = 2583 | 1940 = 2942 | 1950 = 3048 | 1960 = 3117 | 1970 = 3465 | 1980 = 3180 | 1990 = 2739 | 2000 = 2646 | 2010 = 2362 | 2020 = 2164 | estimate = 2068 | estyear = 2025 | estref =<ref name="IndianaDemographics">{{cite web|url=https://www.indiana-demographics.com/dunkirk-demographics|title=Dunkirk Demographic Statistics|publisher=Indiana Demographics by Cubit|accessdate=January 28, 2025}}</ref> | footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref> | align = right | align-fn = center }}
===2020 census=== As of the 2020 census, Dunkirk had a population of 2,164. The median age was 40.8 years. 23.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.9 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0133P,DP1_0137P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=place%3A19054&in=state%3A18|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 29, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref><ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=place%3A19054&in=state%3A18|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 29, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=place%3A19054&in=state%3A18|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=April 29, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>
There were 892 households in Dunkirk, of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 40.0% were married-couple households, 22.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>
There were 1,083 housing units, of which 17.6% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 5.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 16.0%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>
{| class="wikitable" |+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census<ref name="Census2020PL"/> ! Race !! Number !! Percent |- | White || 2,048 || 94.6% |- | Black or African American || 11 || 0.5% |- | American Indian and Alaska Native || 3 || 0.1% |- | Asian || 2 || 0.1% |- | Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0.0% |- | Some other race || 0 || 0.0% |- | Two or more races || 100 || 4.6% |- | ''Hispanic or Latino (of any race)'' || 39 || 1.8% |}
===2010 census=== As of the census<ref name="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2012-12-11}}</ref> of 2010, there were 2,362 people, 960 households, and 619 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1874.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,171 housing units at an average density of {{convert|929.4|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.6% White, 0.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.
There were 960 households, of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.5% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.03.
The median age in the city was 37.2 years. 26.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.9% were from 25 to 44; 25.6% were from 45 to 64; and 14.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.
===2000 census=== As of the census<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 2,646 people, 1,093 households, and 746 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|2,351.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,214 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,078.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.34% White, 0.30% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population.
There were 1,093 households, out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out, with 24.6% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,750, and the median income for a family was $38,220. Males had a median income of $32,684 versus $20,517 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,128. About 7.1% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.7% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over. ==Education== The town has a lending library, the Dunkirk Public Library.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.dunkirk.lib.in.us | title=Homepage | publisher=Dunkirk Public Library | access-date=4 March 2018}}</ref> The town also has an Elementary School, Westlawn Elementary and a Middle school, West Jay Middle School (stated to be closed in 2020 and middle school students sent to the High School, and the elementary students sent to the Middle School). They are both located in the city limits and are a part of Jay County School Corporation.
==References== <references />
==External links== {{commons category}} * [http://cityofdunkirkin.com/ City of Dunkirk website] * [http://www.dunkirk.lib.in.us/the-glass-museum.php The Glass Museum (in Dunkirk)] * [https://www.carnivalglassworldwide.com/indiana-glass-company.html Indiana Glass Company, Dunkirk, Indiana (Brief history / overview) ] * [https://glassbottlemarks.com/indiana-glass-company-hen-on-nest-dishes/ Indiana Glass Company "Hen on Nest dishes" - Information on the iconic candy dishes made in Dunkirk for over 60 years]
{{Blackford County, Indiana}} {{Jay County, Indiana}}
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Category:Cities in Blackford County, Indiana Category:Cities in Jay County, Indiana Category:Cities in Indiana Category:1853 establishments in Indiana Category:Populated places in the United States established in 1853