United States › New York › Cortland CITY
Cortland New York · 17,394 residents (2025 est.) · 3.89 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 17,450 people, Cortland is a city in New York. This skews young, with a median age of 27.4. 46% of homes are owner-occupied. The typical home is worth $152,600, having more than doubled since 2000. 75% were living in the same home a year earlier. Density works out to 4,481 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 27.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 18,740 in 2000
17,394 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
4,481 / sq mi
−5%since 2009
from 4,704 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 27.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
17K 18K 19K 19K 20K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Cortland Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $59,482
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,478 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,267 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 19.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 24.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.464 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 3.2%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.7%
Education & health services 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$152,600
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $71,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$975
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $449 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 43.7% in 2000
54.1% rent
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.26 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 26.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 45.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.3 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 94.6%(17,737)
Hispanic / Latino 1.7%(322)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 85.5%(14,922)
Hispanic / Latino 5.5%(968)
from 16 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 30 more ancestry groups with data from 19.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 79.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 7.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 69.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 19.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 72.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 21.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 35.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 11.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 7.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 68.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 91.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 73.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 55.8%(4,051)
Women 15+
Never married 54.2%(4,312)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 7.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 62.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 14.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 26.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 70.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 37.2% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 23.2%(139)
Gulf War (1990s) 21.5%(129)
Share of the 599 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Cortland Head to head
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Cortland, New York? Cortland, New York has about 17,450 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Cortland, New York? The typical household in Cortland, New York earns about $59,482 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Cortland, New York expensive? In Cortland, New York, the median home is worth about $152,600, and the typical rent is about $975 a month.
How educated are people in Cortland, New York? About 27.2% of adults age 25 and over in Cortland, New York hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Cortland, New York? About 20.8% of people in Cortland, New York live below the federal poverty line.
Has Cortland, New York grown since 1990? Yes, Cortland, New York has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,351 residents, a change of about -12 percent over that period.
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