Dunkirk is ethnically mixed, with 60% of the people being White British and 40% being from various countries such as: 5.1% from Iran, 4.7% from India, 3.69% from Pakistan, 6.05% from China, 3.6% from Africa, 3.5% from the Caribbean and 2% from the Arab World.

60.4% of the people are aged between 16-24 and 11.5% are 30–44,[3] highlighting Dunkirk's high student population due to its proximity to Nottingham's University Park Campus.

The hospital employs over 6,000 people and the total floor area of the main block is 30 square miles.

Dunkirk is situated in an important economical zone for Greater Nottingham; along with neighbouring Beeston Rylands, it is home to a number of international and regional headquarters such as Games Workshop, Experian, Black Horse, CIS, Abbeyfield Estates, Specsavers, Arck, Coutts, Zurich, HSBC, Speedo, Bank of England, tcp, HBOS plc and Vision Express.

Castle Marina Retail Park is filled with a number of high-profile furniture shops, Costa, Sainsbury's and several eateries.