Cortland and Oneonta receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Cortland
Oneonta
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 30%
vs50 · Bottom 38%
Growth
26 · Bottom 13%
vs36 · Bottom 25%
Climate
54 · Bottom 4%
vs53 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 42%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 17%
vs95 · Top 19%
Access
82 · Bottom 25%
vs69 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 16%
vs27 · Bottom 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Cortland | Oneonta | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,450 | 15,045 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,482 | $61,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,083 | $28,009 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,481/sq mi | 3,450/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $152,600 | $184,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $975 | $1,021 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 45.9% | 46.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.2% | 47.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.8% | 16.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 78°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 13°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.7" | 44.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 57 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 16.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 27.4 | 23.1 | 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.
Oneonta
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Cortland, NY · Oneonta, NY · How this is calculated: methodology