cortland
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Cortland is amazingly pristine. A small city with unlimited open spaces sits amidst a serene setting and there is a large number of people who call it their new home.

You too would have heard about this beautiful city which is a part of the Southern Tier region of New York State. Probably you too have heard about people packing bags here. So what makes Cortland, New York a great place to relocate?.

Cortland is a small town with a dense suburban feel and the cost of living is extremely low than many neighboring cities.

How about knowing the city in and out? Perhaps that will help you too in making a call on moving to Cortland.

Here’s our ultimate Cortland moving guide that covers everything you need to know about the city.  Here we go.

QuickFacts

Quick facts to know before you move to cortland, NY

  • The first settlement in Cortland was in 1791.
  • It is named after Pierre Van Cortland, the first lieutenant governor of New York.
  • The city is nicknamed ‘Crown City’ because of its location on a plain formed by the convergence of seven valleys.
  • Cortland is 1,130 feet (340 m) above sea level.
  • The city is in New York’s ‘Southern Tier’ region.
  • The cost of living is extremely low here.
  • The city records a low crime rate.
  • The climate is humid continental.
  • The economy is booming.
  • About 24.7% of the population lives below the poverty line.

Top 10 things to know before moving to cortland, NY

  • The city is a part of Cortland County.
  • Cortland’s cost of living is 34.3% lower than the New York average.
  • The city is much safer with a crime rate extremely lower than the national and state average.
  • The summers are warm and humid while winters are cold with temperatures going down the freezing level.
  • Jobs are expected to go up in the future.
  • It is easier to own a house here.
  • The population is predominantly White.
  • The standard of education is higher in Cortland.
  • The poverty rate is higher in Cortland.
  • About 48% of the population lives in rented homes.

Is Cortland a Good Place to Live In?

Cortland is one of the best places to live in New York for its affordable cost of living, low crime rate, and high standards of infrastructure. The city has a good growth in jobs and is also relatively safer than neighboring cities. In addition, it gives the residents a suburban feel.

How Safe is Cortland to Raise a Family?

One of the best positives of Cortland is the low crime rate. The violent crime rate in Cortland is 8.8 and the property crime rate is 27.2%, both much lower than the US average. About 67% of the residents feel completely safer.

What's the Population of Cortland, NY?

As of 2020, the population in Cortland is 11,577, which means 4,739 persons per square mile. The population is predominantly White, which forms 90.9%. The city’s median age is 27.1 and about 53.6% of the residents are females. The number of people per household in Cortland is 2.4 while the population is expected to go down further in the coming years.

  • Cortland’s total population is 11,577.
  • The population is made up of 46.4% males and 53.6% females.
  • The median age in Cortland is 27.1.
  • The city population is made up of 90.9% White, 2.8% Black or African American, 0.4% Asian, and 2.6% from two or more races.
  • About 2.8% of the population is of Hispanic ethnicity.
  • The median household size in Cortland is 2.4 persons.
  • About 29.0% of the residents are married couples living together.
  • On average, 27.2% of the residents are single and have children.

How Fast Can You Commute to Cortland, NY?

As you plan to relocate to Cortland you may also be curious to know how much time it will take to drive from home to the office and home from the office. Interestingly, the commute time is much lower here. The average commute time in Cortland is 16.7 minutes, much lower than the national average of 26.4 minutes.

  • About 69.1% drive their car alone
  • About 11.3% carpool with others
  • About 4.0% work from home
  • Approximately 0.7% take mass transit

What is the Weather Like in Cortland, NY?

The climate here is humid continental. Summers are warm and humid with temperatures generally reaching into the mid-80s during the day and dropping to the low 60s at night, while winters tend to be cold with temperatures often below freezing. It rains throughout the year and April is the wettest month. July is the hottest month in Cortland while January is the coldest.

  • The city receives about 40 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.
  • Cortland averages 83 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.
  • On average, the city gets about 158 sunny days per year against the US average of 205 sunny days.
  • The city receives some kind of precipitation, on average, 159 days per year in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
move to cortland

Top reasons to move to cortland, NY

Cortland has many positives while you consider moving. To help you, we have filtered out 5 positives of Cortland.

  • More affordability
  • Low cost of living
  • Low crime rate
  • High standard of education
  • Plenty of outdoors
pros and cons of cortland

Pros & Cons of Moving to cortland , NY

Before you make up your mind to pack the bags to Cortland, it is crucial to gauge both the pluses and minuses of relocating here. To help you, we’ve got the best and worst of the city. Cross-check both before you make the final call.

The pros
  • Low risk of natural disasters
  • High government spending
  • Low cost of living
  • Less commuting time
  • Safety
  • Open spaces
The cons
  • Extremely cold climate
  • Low diversity in the population
  • Wet weather
  • High poverty rate

Best places to live in cortland, NY

As you reach Cortland, your priority will be to find a house in a decent neighborhood. And if you are moving the family, you may even prefer finding a good neighborhood even before packing the bags. Luckily, the city has some good neighborhoods and we’ve got a list of them.

Here are the 7 best neighborhoods in Cortland and around to rent or buy a house.

Rank Neighborhood Home Rental Home Value
1 Munsons Corners $1,254 $247,529
2 Virgil /Harford $1,667 $230,658
3 Cortland Northwest $1,743 $188,146
4 SUNY Cortland $940 $179,163
5 Cortland North $1,307 $175,317
6 Cortland Southwest $1,435 $165,647
7 City Center $1,323 $143,713

Cost of living in cortland , NY

A big advantage of moving to Cortland is that you will spend less and save more here. The cost of living perfectly fits your pocket.

Here is a break-up of the cost of living in Cortland.

Living Expense Cortland New York National Average
Overall 79.8 121.5 100
Grocery 98.5 103.8 100
Health 116.5 120.7 100
Housing 48.6 127.9 100
Median Home Cost $171,400 $413,600 $338,100
Utilities 98.7 115.9 100
Transportation 67.9 140.7 100
Miscellaneous 107.6 121.8 100
Job Market

How is the job market in cortland, NY?

Though Cortland has a strong economy with a robust job market, the job growth has been negative in recent years. However, it is expected to be back on track in a year and if you are intending to relocate here for job reasons, you may pack the bags. The future job growth over the next ten years in Cortland is predicted to be 18.1%. 

And we’ve got a few job-related facts in Cortland which may benefit you.

  • The job growth in Cortland has been negative.
  • The future job growth over the next ten years is predicted to be 18.1%.
  • The unemployment rate here is 6.9%.
  • Jobs have decreased by 5.0% over the past year.
  • The average salary in Cortland is $50,697.
  • The median home cost in Cortland is $171,400.

Here is a breakdown table to better understand the cortland job market.

Employment Information Cortland United States
The income per Cap $23,744 $37,638
Household Income $50,697 $69,021
Unemployment Rate 6.9 6
Recent Job Growth -5.0% -6.2%
Future Job Growth 18.1% 33.5%

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Fastest growing jobs in cortland, NY

It is a good idea to know about the fastest-growing jobs in Cortland. With this, it becomes easier to analyze whether your experience, background, and aspirations can be helpful here. Knowing this, our team has researched and prepared a list of the 10 fastest-growing jobs in Cortland. Go through them to make the final call.

Here are the top 10 fastest-growing jobs in Cortland and surrounding areas.

Rank Job Title % Growth Average Salary
1 Physical therapy aide 132.8% $20,290
2 Nurse practitioner 131.6% $101,260
3 Biomedical engineer 128.1% $80,280
4 Personal care assistant 126.4% $29,010
5 Business analyst 124.3% $88,213
6 Software developer 120.2% $95,780
7 Audiologist 114.4% $71,370
8 Web developer 112.8% $74,030
9 Emergency medical technician 112.4% $33,330
10 Instructor 106.5% $41,360

Top career options in cortland, NY?

Once you are in cortland, your preference will be a job with a decent package. And there is no shortage of jobs with fat paychecks here. When you have a list of such jobs, it becomes easier to search for one. And knowing this, we’ve filtered out the highest-paying jobs in cortland.

Rank Job Title Average Salary Entry Level Salary
1 Hospitalist physician $190,279 $108,100
2 President/Chief executive officer $188,810 $110,000
3 Md Physician, dermatologist $185,000 $105,000
4 Vice President, field operations $182,920 $101,500
5 Physician pediatrician $180,200 $98,100
6 Radiologist physician $179,320 $95,520
7 Vice president, corporate development $170,570 $93,200
8 Executive vice president $166,200 $88,200
9 Internal medicine physician $162,350 $81,380
10 Vice president, merchandising $160,480 $77,460

Major Industries in Cortland

  • Manufacturing
  • Construction
  • Tourism
  • Retail
  • Timber processing

Best Companies to Work for in Cortland, NY

  • Marietta Hospitality
  • Mc Neil & Co.
  • Suit-Kote
  • State University of New York College at Cortland
  • Wendcentral
  • J.M. Murray Center
  • Cortland Country Club
  • Cortland County Community Action Program
  • Gutchess Lumber Co.
  • Dahmer

Average Salary and Income in Cortland, NY

  • Cortland’s average annual pay for average jobs is $50,697 a year
  • Cortland’s average hourly pay for average jobs is $24.04 an hour
  • Cortland’s average weekly pay for average jobs is $981 per week
  • Cortland’s average monthly pay for average jobs is $4,167 per month
  • Cortland’s top earners (90th percentile) make $92,000 annually

How is the housing market in cortland , NY?

A major highlight of living in Cortland is the property price. The property costs are extremely lower than both the state average and national average. You may buy one by spending $171,400. And maybe that’s the reason that about 52% of the population owns a house in Cortland. 

We’ve got the latest city housing facts for you.

  • Cortland’s median home cost is $171,400.
  • The median age of Cortland’s real estate is 78 years old.
  • The city’s home appreciation in the last 10 years has been 62.6%.
  • Renters make up 48.2% of the Cortland
  • 1.5% of houses in Cortland are available to rent.

Average rental prices in cortland, NY

It is not home prices, but even home rentals are affordable in Cortland. This means, renting a normal home won’t need you to rob a bank in Cortland. We’ve researched the average home rental in the city and the details may help you.

  • Cortland’s average rent for a studio apartment is $760
  • Cortland’s average rent for a 1-bedroom home or apartment is $1,060
  • Cortland’s average rent for a 2-bedroom home or apartment is $1,290
  • Cortland’s average rent for a 3-bedroom home or apartment is $1,570
  • Cortland’s average rent for a 4-bedroom home or apartment is $2,200

What are taxes like in cortland, NY?

Your take-home salary is greatly based on the tax you pay. When you are required to pay heavy taxes, you need to earn more to have a good living. Fortunately, our experts have got the details related to different taxes in Cortland

Here are a few tax-related facts in Cortland.

  • The sales tax rate for Cortland is 8.0%. The US average is 7.3%.
  • The income tax rate for Cortland is 6.5%. The US average is 4.6%.
  • The average property tax rate in Cortland is 1.4%
things to do

What are the best things to do in cortland, NY?

A pristine town, Cortland is home to many natural wonders, and moving here is also an option to explore them. With state parks, lakes, waterfalls, and museums, your weekends and holidays will be busy.

We’ve got a list of the 10 best things to do in Cortland. 

  • Take a tour of Erie Canal Museum
  • Explore Watkins Glen State Park
  • Know the nature at Yaman Park
  • Visit Ithaca Falls
  • Spend time appreciating the beauty of Finger Lakes
  • Take a stroll at Courthouse Park
  • Take your child to Cortland Miniature Golf Course
  • Appreciate arts at the Center for the Arts of Homer
  • Hang out at Dexter Park
  • Catch up with nature’s beauty at Buttermilk Falls State Park

How safe is cortland, NY?

A big positive about relocating to Cortland is safety. As per recent statistics, the city’s crime record is much lower than the US average. The violent crime rate is 8.8 and property crime rate is 27.3 and the city is safer than 4% of US cities. About 67% of the population feels perfectly safe in the city.

To help you know the crime stats in Cortland, we’ve got a few facts.

  • cortland's violent crime is 8.8 while the US average is 22.7
  • cortland’s property crime is 27.3 while the US average is 35.4
  • Your chance of being a violent crime victim is 1 in 346 in cortland
  • Your chance of being a property crime victim is 1 in 25 in cortland
  • About 67% of the city population feels safe in the city.

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Best Schools & Universities in cortland, NY

Cortland is home to many good schools and colleges as the city gives great importance to education. You will be surprised to know that the government spending on education and teacher motivation at schools is higher here. When you move here with a family, you will easily find a school as there are many high-ranking schools and colleges.

To help you, we’ve prepared a list of top educational institutions with their rankings.

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