Map the Block › Places › New York › Cortland County
Cortland County, New York in numbers: crime, income, hazards
The violent-crime rate in Cortland County was 1.6 per 1,000 residents (2021-2025 average, FBI), 58% lower than the statewide rate (3.8). Households here have a median income of $70,418 and the unemployment rate was 4.5% in August 2026. It is home to roughly 46,246 residents.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Cortland County?
Police agencies in Cortland County reported an average of 74 violent crimes and 791 property crimes a year from 2021 to 2025. That is 1.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, 58% lower than the New York rate (3.8), and 57% lower than the U.S. rate (3.7). Burglary, theft and car theft together come to 17.1 per 1,000 residents, compared with 15.7 across New York. Aggravated assaults make up 69% of the violent total.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Cortland County | Per 1,000 | New York per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 74 | 1.6 | 3.8 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.00 | 0.03 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 15 | 0.32 | 0.26 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 6 | 0.13 | 1.0 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 51 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 791 | 17.1 | 15.7 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 90 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 687 | 14.7 | 12.9 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 15 | 0.32 | 1.4 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (3 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Cortland County?
Median household income is $70,418, 18% lower than the statewide figure ($85,974). The typical owner-occupied home is valued at $162,100 by its owners; renters pay a median $984. 15.5% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 15.6%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.5% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 977 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Cortland County | New York | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 46,246 | 19,852,366 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $70,418 | $85,974 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $162,100 | $423,800 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $984 | $1,621 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 4.6% | 6.4% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 12.8% | 14.0% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 15.5% | 15.6% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 29.1% | 40.2% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 66.3% | 54.3% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 37.0 | 39.8 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 88.3% | 90.8% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 4.5% | 5.1% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Cortland County?
Cortland County carries a “Relatively Low” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists 1 active Superfund site (final or proposed) in Cortland County: Rosen Brothers Scrap Yard/Dump. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
The National Inventory of Dams lists 3 high-hazard dams in Cortland County. 2 are rated Poor or Unsatisfactory in condition, 1 Satisfactory or Fair. The two tallest are Melody Lake Dam (26 ft) and Stump Pond Dam (15 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
6 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 45,804 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Cortland County was covered by 4 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Flood 1, Hurricane 1, Severe Storm 1), not counting COVID-19. Of 25 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 1 (highest). NHTSA counted 4 traffic deaths in the county in 2024.
Is there road construction in Cortland County?
Cortland County had 3 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (1 active that day). Where crews are working: I-81 and NY 281. 2 are on interstates. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Cortland County?
Cortland County has 17 public schools (2024-25) and 4 private schools (2023-24) in federal school lists. 3 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 13 fire or EMS stations and 5 police or sheriff stations.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Cortland County
Gun shops
One gun shop with a public storefront is on the map in Cortland County, plus 9 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). On the ATF list: Walmart #1781 (Cortland).
Liquor stores
6 liquor stores are on the map in Cortland County: Groton Ave Liquor Store (Cortland), Peak Wine & Spirits (Marathon), Plaza Discount Liquors INC (Cortland), Riverside Liquor Warehouse (Cortland), Route 13 Discount Liquor And Wine (Cortland) and Truxton Liquor Store (Truxton).
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Cortland County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Cortland County?
Cortland County averaged 74 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 1.6 per 1,000 residents, 58% lower than the New York rate (3.8). The property-crime rate was 17.1 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Cortland County?
$70,418 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $85,974 for New York and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Cortland County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.5% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 977 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Cortland County?
Cortland County carries a “Relatively Low” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here.
Are there Superfund sites in Cortland County?
EPA lists 1 active Superfund site (final or proposed) in Cortland County: Rosen Brothers Scrap Yard/Dump.
Is there road construction in Cortland County right now?
Cortland County had 3 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (1 active that day). Where crews are working: I-81 and NY 281. 2 are on interstates.
How many nursing homes are in Cortland County?
3 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Cortland County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broome County | 197,378 | 2.4 | $62,616 |
| Cayuga County | 75,102 | 1.6 | $67,904 |
| Chenango County | 46,321 | 0.69 | $62,948 |
| Madison County | 67,328 | 1.1 | $75,499 |
| Onondaga County | 471,129 | 3.1 | $76,945 |
| Tioga County | 47,864 | 0.65 | $72,739 |
| Tompkins County | 104,537 | 0.95 | $74,024 |
More: New York statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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