Discover the Affordable Lakeside Town with Wine and Waterfront Homes on Lake Erie

Realtor.com recently ranked Dunkirk, New York, as one of the country’s most affordable lake towns.

New York state is dotted with thousands of scenic lakes, where, for generations, travelers have been seeking respite from busy urban life. It’s no wonder the state is a magnet for buyers seeking an idyllic piece of lakefront property. After all, it has hidden gems like Green Lake and Round Lake, with water so blue you might think you’re in the Caribbean. Moreover, it also boasts the spectacular Finger Lakes area, which is home to neighborly cities and breathtaking scenery.

While these come with eye-popping price tags in many cases, if your budget doesn’t run in the millions, New York is also home to several communities where you could find your dream lake home for less than $200,000. One such place is Dunkirk, which Realtor.com recently ranked as the country’s third most affordable real estate market for lake properties.

The small town is located in Chautauqua County, the westernmost county in the state bordering Pennsylvania, and sits on the edge of Lake Erie, one of the largest Great Lakes. It is steeped in Native American and colonial history. Initially settled by the Iroquois tribes, Dunkirk was incorporated in the 1830s as a village, which grew after the completion of the New York & Erie Railway two decades later.

And while the area has remained predominantly rural— with roadside farms and Amish markets—Dunkirk’s downtown area has many shops, restaurants, beaches, a historic lighthouse, and a lakefront marina. Another draw? A bustling wine scene.

“The New York State Winery Trails have been booming for the past decade, and Dunkirk sits right within the Lake Erie Wine Country,” Mandy Gotham, managing broker at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Western New York Properties, told iBestTravel. The trail, which runs for over 50 miles and features about 20 wineries, is part of one of the largest grape-growing regions in the country.

The town’s proximity to larger urban areas such as New York’s Buffalo and Rochester, as well as Cleveland, Ohio, also makes it an ideal weekend destination and an excellent option for a second home. Dunkirk can also be a wonderful winter getaway as the town is about an hour northwest of the village of Ellicottville and Holiday Valley Resort, which offers skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and snowshoeing facilities.

“The housing market in Dunkirk is approachable, to say the least, with the average home price below $200,000 and ‘days on the market’ close to two months. A savvy buyer could easily come in and scoop up a good listing at a good price,” Gotham added.

According to Realtor.com’s data, the median list price of homes within half a mile of the lake is just $122,750.

Because of the town’s long history—Dunkirk’s lighthouse and Dunkirk Schooner Site, a shipwreck archaeological site in Lake Erie, are on the National Register of Historic Places—potential buyers can find a range of architectural styles, from “1800’s brick manor to an adorable little lakefront cottage,” according to Gotham.

At the time of publication, there were 34 properties listed for sale in Dunkirk on Realtor.com, including many below $100,000. The company notes buyers will find the most listings in the spring and fall.

Gotham’s top advice for scoring a lake home? Move quickly. “The word of this gem is getting out, and we expect the next few years to look much different than they do now,” she added.