Dillingham Census Area is a census area located in the state of Alaska, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 4,922. It is part of the unorganized borough and therefore has no borough seat. Its largest community by far is the city of Dillingham, on a small arm of Bristol Bay on the Bering Sea.Dillingham can be reached by air and sea. The State-owned airport provides a 6,404' long by 150' wide paved runway and Flight Service Station, and regular jet flights are available from Anchorage.

Average winter temperatures range from 4 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Annual precipitation is 26 inches, and annual snowfall is 65 inches. Heavy fog is common in July and August. Winds of up to 60-70 mph may occur between December and March. The Nushagak River is ice-free from June through November. Dillingham is the economic, transportation, and public service center for western Bristol Bay. Commercial fishing, fish processing, cold storage and support of the fishing industry are the primary activities. Icicle, Peter Pan, Trident and Unisea operate fish processing plants in Dillingham