Population 46,246 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cortland County
Household size in Cortland County
| Period | Cortland County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.56 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.50 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.50 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.26 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.30 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Cortland County are small: just 2.26 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.56, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cortland County
| Period | Cortland County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.7 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.9 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.3 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.0 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
At 39.0, the median age in Cortland County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is younger than in New York as a whole, where the median age is 40.8. The median age has climbed from 37.7 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cortland County
| Period | Cortland County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.1% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Cortland County (11.1%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.8 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cortland County
Renters in Cortland County
| Period | Cortland County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.7% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.9% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.4% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.7% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Cortland County is about as common as it is nationally: 33.7% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in New York overall (45.7%). Among homeowners, 42.7% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southeast.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cortland County
| Period | Cortland County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.3% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.5% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.0% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Cortland County as nationally: 10.0%, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.3 points, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cortland County
| Period | Cortland County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1956 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1955 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1957 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1961 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Cortland County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1961, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1956 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the west has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cortland County
| Period | Cortland County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $662 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $714 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $874 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,046 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$384 | +$698 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Cortland County costs $1,046 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $384 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.7% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the north; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cortland County
Bachelor's degrees in Cortland County
| Period | Cortland County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.1% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.1% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.9% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.3% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Cortland County than nationally: 28.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 3.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cortland County
| Period | Cortland County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.9% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.5% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.1% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.4% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Cortland County is close to the national rate: 90.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in New York as a whole (87.3%). The share with a diploma has edged up 1.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cortland County
| Period | Cortland County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.7%, unemployment in Cortland County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in New York as a whole (6.6%). Unemployment has fallen 2.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cortland County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cortland County | 2.26 | 39.0 | 11.1% | 33.7% | 10.0% | 1961 | $1,046 | 28.3% | 90.4% | 4.7% |
| Tompkins County | 2.11 | 36.3 | 8.1% | 45.9% | 9.9% | 1971 | $1,436 | 61.0% | 95.4% | 5.7% |
| Chenango County | 2.31 | 45.8 | 10.8% | 24.6% | 18.2% | 1965 | $910 | 19.9% | 89.8% | 6.1% |
| Yates County | 2.48 | 43.1 | 7.9% | 22.8% | 23.5% | 1965 | $892 | 25.7% | 83.9% | 3.0% |
| Otsego County | 2.38 | 42.0 | 9.1% | 26.1% | 19.9% | 1961 | $939 | 33.9% | 92.1% | 6.4% |
| Schoharie County | 2.26 | 46.8 | 8.6% | 23.6% | 22.1% | 1969 | $1,013 | 27.8% | 92.2% | 5.0% |
| Albany County | 2.27 | 40.3 | 9.1% | 43.4% | 9.1% | 1966 | $1,421 | 46.7% | 93.5% | 5.4% |
| Rensselaer County | 2.36 | 41.4 | 11.5% | 35.2% | 11.4% | 1964 | $1,209 | 37.3% | 92.3% | 5.4% |
| Berkshire County | 2.18 | 47.3 | 10.7% | 30.1% | 16.0% | 1956 | $1,361 | 39.5% | 94.0% | 5.4% |
| Franklin County | 2.23 | 47.6 | 9.8% | 29.9% | 8.9% | 1962 | $1,211 | 40.0% | 94.4% | 5.4% |
| Middlesex County | 2.56 | 40.3 | 8.3% | 38.7% | 5.9% | 1962 | $2,208 | 59.5% | 93.0% | 4.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Clinton County, IL · Delta County, MI · Dare County, NC · Thomas County, GA · Dallas County, AL · Addison County, VT · Crawford County, KS · Columbus County, NC · Columbia County, OR · Colleton County, SC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cortland County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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