Cortland County, NY

County

2024 Population

46,246

US Senator

Chuck Schumer

Democratic Party

US Senator

Kirsten Gillibrand

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

1.37% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

12.8%

0.381% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$70,418

4.28% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$162,100

Population & Diversity

Cortland County, NY is home to a population of 46.2k people, from which 99.2% are citizens.

As of 2024, 2.78% of Cortland County, NY residents were born outside of the country (1.28k people).

In 2024, there were 42.1 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (41.3k people) in Cortland County, NY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 980 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 770 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.2%

2024 Citizenship

99.2%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 99.2% of Cortland County, NY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Cortland County, NY was 99.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Cortland County, NY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Cortland County, NY

White (Non-Hispanic)
41.3k ± 312
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
980 ± 134
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
770 ± 105

3.6%

Hispanic Population

1.67k people

3.6% of the people in Cortland County, NY are hispanic (1.67k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Cortland County, NY as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for New York.

Most Common Origin

Dominican Republic
492,198 ± 17,010 people
China
414,597 ± 15,642 people
Jamaica
229,554 ± 11,695 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of New York was Dominican Republic, the natal country of 492,198 New York residents, followed by China with 414,597 and Jamaica with 229,554.

Foreign-Born Population

2.78%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

1.28k people

2.66%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.24k people

As of 2024, 2.78% of Cortland County, NY residents (1.28k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Cortland County, NY was 2.66%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Cortland County, NY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
645 ± 104
Gulf War (2001-)
551 ± 156
Gulf War (1990s)
361 ± 114

Cortland County, NY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.17 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Cortland County, NY.

Health

95.5% of the population of Cortland County, NY has health coverage, with 46.6% on employee plans, 20.6% on Medicaid, 12% on Medicare, 15.4% on non-group plans, and 0.884% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Cortland County, NY see 2,724 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,724 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2883 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 233 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,724 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Cortland County, NY

Primary care physicians in Cortland County, NY see an average of 2,724 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,724 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Cortland County, NY in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Location of Health Services Facilities

Health Service Type

Top 5 Health Facilities Servicing the Greatest Number of Addresses

Health Practice Name
12345 Community Center Dr., Hayward, CA 94540 Census Tract # 4001
Health Practice Name
12345 Community Center Dr., Hayward, CA 94540 Census Tract # 4002
Health Practice Name
12345 Community Center Dr., Hayward, CA 94540 Census Tract # 4003
Health Practice Name
12345 Community Center Dr., Hayward, CA 94540 Census Tract # 4004
Health Practice Name
12345 Community Center Dr., Hayward, CA 94540 Census Tract # 4005

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.4% under 18 years, 25.7% between 18 and 34 years, 35.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

4.5%

Uninsured

46.6%

Employer Coverage

20.6%

Medicaid

12%

Medicare

15.4%

Non-Group

0.884%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Cortland County, NY grew by 31.9% from 3.41% to 4.5%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Cortland County, NY changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 5.91 in Cortland County, NY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Cortland County, NY.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 34% in Cortland County, NY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Cortland County, NY.

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 4.68% in Cortland County, NY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Cortland County, NY.

Economy

The economy of Cortland County, NY employs 23.2k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Cortland County, NY were Educational Services (3,705 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (3,581 people), and Retail Trade (2,515 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($73,125), Public Administration ($66,964), and Utilities ($66,500).

Employment

Occupations

23.2k

2024 Value

± 1,033

−0.331%

1 Year decline

± 6.29%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Cortland County, NY declined at a rate of −0.331%, from 23.2k employees to 23.2k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Cortland County, NY, are Management Occupations (2,312 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,274 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (2,189 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Cortland County, NY.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in New York (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

23.2k

2024 Value

± 1,033

−0.331%

1 Year decline

± 6.29%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Cortland County, NY declined at a rate of −0.331%, from 23.2k employees to 23.2k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Cortland County, NY, are Educational Services (3,705 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (3,581 people), and Retail Trade (2,515 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Cortland County, NY, though some of these residents may live in Cortland County, NY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$48,352

Median earning men ± $2,742

$38,286

Median earning women ± $2,830

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($71,280), Information ($64,318), and Manufacturing ($62,428).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($58,125), Public Administration ($57,331), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($55,729).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

Y-Axis

2.74%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 9.56M people employed in New York. This represents a 2.74% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 19.7%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in New York.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

79
Other Services (except Public Administration)
70
Construction
67
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$145k
Manufacturing
$131k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$73.1k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

The student population of Cortland County, NY in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 3,058 male students and 3,880 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Cortland County, NY are White (1,412 and 78.7%), Hispanic or Latino (199 and 11.1%), Black or African American (78 and 4.35%), and Two or More Races (42 and 2.34%).

The largest universities in Cortland County, NY by number of degrees awarded are State University of New York at Cortland (1,803 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Cortland County, NY are Elementary Education & Teaching (168 and 9.32%), Physical Education Teaching & Coaching (164 and 9.1%), and Kinesiology & Exercise Science (143 and 7.93%).

The median tuition cost for a public four year colleges is $7,070 for in-state students and $16,980 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2024 in Cortland County, NY, the percentage of applicants admitted was 59.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 13.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 6,938 (44.1% men and 55.9% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2024 there were 6,938 students enrolled in Cortland County, NY, 44.1% men and 55.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 5,365 records, of which 57.1% were women and 42.9% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Elementary Education & Teaching
155 degrees awarded
Physical Education Teaching & Coaching
150 degrees awarded
Kinesiology & Exercise Science
140 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Cortland County, NY was Elementary Education & Teaching with 155 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Cortland County, NY according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

State University of New York at Cortland

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

1,803 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was State University of New York at Cortland with 1,803 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 720 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Cortland County, NY, which is 0.665 times less than the 1,083 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,412 degrees mean that there were 7.1 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 199 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($7,070) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,804) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,200) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Cortland County, NY was $162,100 in 2024, which is 0.487 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $158,100 to $162,100, a 2.53% increase. The homeownership rate in Cortland County, NY is 66.3%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Cortland County, NY have an average commute time of 22.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Cortland County, NY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 12.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Cortland County, NY. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.44%.

Housing

Property

$162,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$3,172

$12,597

Median Property Taxes

±$591

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Cortland County, NY the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Cortland County, NY compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

66.3%

Homeownership

2024

64%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 66.3% of the housing units in Cortland County, NY were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 66.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Cortland County, NY compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$70,418

Median Household Income

± $2,912

19k

Number of Households

± 915

In 2024, the median household income of the 19k households in Cortland County, NY grew to $70,418 from the previous year's value of $67,527.

The following chart displays the households in Cortland County, NY distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Cortland County, NY is from New York.

0.492

2024 Wage GINI in New York

0.493

2023 Wage GINI in New York

In 2024, the income inequality in New York was 0.492 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.301% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for New York was higher than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in New York in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in New York across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (72.3%)
Carpooled (11.8%)
Worked At Home (7.84%)

In 2024, 72.3% of workers in Cortland County, NY drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.8%) and those who worked at home (7.84%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

22.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Cortland County, NY have a shorter commute time (22.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.36% of the workforce in Cortland County, NY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Cortland County, NY compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Cortland County, NY distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Cortland County, NY have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 12.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Cortland County, NY. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.44%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

12.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Cortland County, NY (5.44k out of 42.6k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Cortland County, NY is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 16.5% of the children was living in poverty in Cortland County, NY. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 5%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798, followed by New York (5,087).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 89.5 in Cortland County, NY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 77% per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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