The Town FilesCortland, New York
City in Cortland County · population 17,556 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $152,600
- Household income
- $59,482
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 81 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 27.4
Cortland is a city of 17,556 people in Cortland County, New York. The median home is worth $152,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more vibrant than 98% of New York towns, hipper than 98% of New York towns, better for cycling than 96% of New York towns.
How Cortland ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cortland is worth $152,600, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $59,482, which is more affordable than 59% of New York towns. Median rent is $975 a month. 45.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cortland | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $152,600 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $975 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $59,482 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 45.9% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1947 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Cortland
| People | Cortland | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 27.4 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.6% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.2% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 4.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.3% | — |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 16.8 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.9% | 91.1% |
Weather in Cortland
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 11.6°F. About 39.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 81.3 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cortland since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 7, 2023 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 18, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 26, 2011.
Severe weather in Cortland County since 1996
Cortland County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 29, 2024 | Flood | DR-4814: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 8, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4625: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| December 19, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Cortland County
Cortland County had 16,911 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,778 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Cortland itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Cortland
5 public schools with 1,862 students, about 10.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CORTLAND HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 592 | 10.4 |
| FRANKLYN S BARRY PRIMARY SCHOOL | PK-2 | 458 | 12.7 |
| CORTLAND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-8 | 277 | 9.9 |
| FE SMITH INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL | 3-4 | 272 | 10.9 |
| RANDALL MIDDLE SCHOOL | 5-6 | 263 | 10.1 |
Towns near Cortland
- Munsons Corners, NY2.2 mi · 2,814 people · home $135,700
- Homer, NY2.5 mi · 3,210 people · home $165,200
- Cortlandville, NY3.1 mi · 8,409 people · home $177,200
- Homer, NY4.3 mi · 6,293 people · home $172,900
- Groton, NY9.3 mi · 5,746 people · home $163,900
- Dryden, NY12.6 mi · 13,905 people · home $242,600
- Tully, NY14.5 mi · 2,676 people · home $249,700
- Moravia, NY15.1 mi · 3,323 people · home $162,800
Cortland questions
Is Cortland, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cortland scores better for retirees than 2% of New York towns and quieter than 3%. 12.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 27.4).
How much does a house cost in Cortland?
The median owner-occupied home in Cortland is valued at $152,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,482, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $975 a month.
What is the weather like in Cortland?
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 11.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.5 inches of precipitation a year and 81.3 inches of snow.
Does Cortland get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cortland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 7, 2023. The typical New York town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)