Cortland County, New York Demographics 2026

Name: Cortland County, New York Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Cortland County, New York has a population of 46,246, the 52nd most populous county in New York. The median household income is $70,418 and the median home value is $162,100. The poverty rate is 12.8%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Cortland County Quick Facts

Population 46,246

Median Household Income $70,418

Median Home Value $162,100

Poverty Rate 12.8%

Unemployment Rate 4.6%

Median Age 37.0 years

Homeownership Rate 66.3%

Affordability Ratio 2.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 29.1%

High School Graduation 91.9%

Cities/Places 8

Population 46,246 52nd of 62

Median Income $70,418 18% lower than state

Poverty Rate 12.8%

Unemployment 4.6%

How Cortland County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	46,401	46,246	-0.3%
Median household income	$67,527	$70,418	+4.3%
Median home value	$158,100	$162,100	+2.5%

Median Household Income

Cortland

$70,418

$85,974

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Cortland

$162,100

$423,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.0%

$25K-$50K 17.1%

$50K-$100K 34.2%

$100K+ 31.7%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.5%

$10K-$15K

3.7%

$15K-$20K

4.8%

$20K-$25K

3.0%

$25K-$30K

3.0%

$30K-$35K

3.4%

$35K-$40K

3.7%

$40K-$45K

3.9%

$45K-$50K

3.0%

$50K-$60K

8.6%

$60K-$75K

11.3%

$75K-$100K

14.3%

$100K-$125K

10.6%

$125K-$150K

7.8%

$150K-$200K

6.9%

$200K+

6.5%

Employment

4.6% Unemployment Rate State: 6.4%|National: 5.2%

62.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 66.3%

Renter 33.7%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $984/mo 16.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

18.5%

18-34

29.3%

35-54

22.0%

55-74

23.3%

75+

6.9%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 65 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Cortland County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Cortland	17,450	$59,482	20.8%	$152,600
Homer	3,114	$72,472	6.2%	$165,200
Munsons Corners	2,662	$56,069	14.9%	$135,700
Cortland West	1,020	$127,019	5.0%	$275,500
McGraw	974	$64,185	6.9%	$109,600
Marathon	952	$52,198	13.2%	$124,800
Virgil	220	$67,813	2.3%	$251,800
Blodgett Mills	212	N/A	11.3%	$135,000

Explore New York Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Cortland County is located in New York with a total population of 46,246. It is the 52nd most populous county out of 62 in New York. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cortland County is 37.0 years. This is 7% lower than the state median of 39.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cortland County is $70,418. This is 18% lower than the state median of $85,974. It is also 13% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.8%. This is 9% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. The unemployment rate is 4.6%. This is 28% lower than the state rate of 6.4%. The median home value is $162,100. Housing costs are 62% lower than the state median of $423,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Cortland County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 66.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% higher than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

Cortland County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.2% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (89.2% vs 52.8%). The Black or African American population (1.7%) is well below the state average of 13.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.6%) is well below the state average of 19.8%. The Asian population (1.4%) is well below the state average of 9.0%.

Education

29.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 28% lower than the state rate of 40.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Cortland County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against New York and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Cortland County, New York?

Cortland County has a population of 46,246, making it the 52nd most populous county in New York.

What is the median income in Cortland County?

The median household income in Cortland County is $70,418 with a poverty rate of 12.8%.

How many cities are in Cortland County, New York?

Cortland County contains 8 Census-designated places.