Population 4,687 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cortland
Household size in Cortland
| Period | Cortland | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.90 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.04 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.83 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.69 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.21 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Cortland average 2.69 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.90, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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
| Period | Cortland | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.5 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.9 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.7 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.7 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.2 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Cortland is young: half of its residents are under 33.7, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults and children.
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
| Period | Cortland | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.6% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.9% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +8.8 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are more common in Cortland than nationally: 13.9%, against 11.6%.
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
Renters in Cortland
| Period | Cortland | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.5% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.3% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.1% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.0% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Cortland is largely a place of homeowners: only 20.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 31.9% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%.
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
| Period | Cortland | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Cortland than nationally: 7.0%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the Chicago area.
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
| Period | Cortland | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1994 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1997 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1994 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Cortland is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole.
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
| Period | Cortland | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $937 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,153 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,307 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,483 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$546 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Cortland runs $1,483 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 35.4% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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
Bachelor's degrees in Cortland
| Period | Cortland | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.1% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.6% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.7% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.5% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Cortland than nationally: 29.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
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
| Period | Cortland | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.8% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.1% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.9% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.7% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Cortland is above the national rate: 92.7% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%.
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
| Period | Cortland | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Cortland is close to the national rate: 6.0% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
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 compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cortland | 2.69 | 33.7 | 13.9% | 20.0% | 7.0% | 1991 | $1,483 | 29.5% | 92.7% | 6.0% |
| DeKalb | 2.39 | 31.7 | 17.1% | 58.2% | 7.6% | 1974 | $1,124 | 33.7% | 88.2% | 11.0% |
| Sycamore | 2.56 | 37.5 | 8.9% | 27.3% | 5.9% | 1988 | $1,244 | 46.7% | 96.2% | 3.1% |
| Elva | 2.83 | 36.0 | 6.4% | 17.8% | 9.0% | 1967 | $1,242 | 27.5% | 89.0% | 6.3% |
| Maple Park | 2.72 | 41.1 | 6.9% | 18.9% | 5.7% | 1983 | $1,678 | 33.7% | 95.8% | 5.0% |
| Virgil | 2.60 | 42.9 | 6.1% | 17.4% | 7.5% | 1976 | $1,472 | 32.0% | 95.7% | 3.3% |
| Richardson | 2.65 | 47.7 | 4.6% | 12.5% | 8.7% | 1982 | $1,365 | 37.2% | 94.9% | 3.2% |
| Troxel | 2.55 | 51.2 | 2.5% | 9.1% | 6.4% | 1962 | $1,429 | 27.1% | 94.5% | 7.6% |
| Clare | 2.73 | 52.1 | 10.9% | 22.5% | 3.9% | 1952 | $1,391 | 30.5% | 92.0% | 2.8% |
| Malta | 2.92 | 34.2 | 12.9% | 25.9% | 6.4% | 1964 | $901 | 27.5% | 88.7% | 1.9% |
| Wasco | 2.60 | 49.6 | 4.6% | 8.6% | 10.9% | 1975 | $1,235 | 33.6% | 94.6% | 2.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Freedom, PA · Penngrove, CA · French Island, WI · Perkins, OK · Perrineville, NJ · Perry, NY · Perry, UT · Freeland, WA · Perryville, AZ · Friona, TX
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. 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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