Cortland County, New York
Located in New York, Cortland County has a population of 46,246 residents and a median age of 37.0 years, making it the #1,073 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.8%. The median home value is $162,100, and the median household income is $70,418, which is 6% below the national median.
Demographics
Cortland County has a population of 46,246, making it the #1,073 most populous county in the US. The median age is 37.0 years, which is 4.9% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Cortland County is $70,418, ranking #1,168 out of 3,222 counties — 6.3% below the national median. The poverty rate is 12.8% and unemployment stands at 4.6%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Cortland County is $162,100 (-42.5% vs national). Renters pay a median of $984/mo and the homeownership rate is 66.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Cortland County, 29.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 13.5% below the national average, ranking #829 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Cortland County is 76.2 years. 16.3% of adults report poor or fair health and 4.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
17.1% of adults in Cortland County smoke , 34.0% are obese , and 23.4% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 29.4 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 9.0 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 7.3 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
16.5% of children in Cortland County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 6.3 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 8.2 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Cortland County is 57.4%. The mean commute time is 24.9 min, which is 9.8% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Cortland County voted Republican with a margin of 6.4%. The vote was 46.8% Dem / 53.2% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 4.4 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Cortland County, New York
Cortland County, New York has a total population of 46,246, making it the 1,073rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Cortland County is 37.0 years, which is 4.9% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Cortland County is $70,418, which ranks #1,168 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 6.3% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.8%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.6%.
The median home value in Cortland County is $162,100, 42.5% below the national median. Renters in Cortland County pay a median gross rent of $984 per month. The homeownership rate is 66.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Cortland County, 29.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 13.5% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.5% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 24.9 min.
Cortland County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 89.2% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
All data for Cortland County, New York comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.