Cortland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Cortland
Amsterdam
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 30%
vs50 · Bottom 36%
Growth
26 · Bottom 13%
vs22 · Bottom 9%
Climate
54 · Bottom 4%
vs60 · Bottom 14%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 42%
vs53 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 17%
vs92 · Top 27%
Access
82 · Bottom 25%
vs90 · Bottom 43%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 16%
vs35 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Cortland | Amsterdam | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,450 | 18,166 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,482 | $56,178 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,083 | $31,224 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,481/sq mi | 3,093/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $152,600 | $137,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $975 | $1,006 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 45.9% | 53.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.2% | 22.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.8% | 20.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 13°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.7" | 40.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 27.4 | 39.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Cortland
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Amsterdam
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Cortland, NY · Amsterdam, NY · How this is calculated: methodology