Cortland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Johnson City
Cortland
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs47 · Bottom 30%
Growth
32 · Bottom 20%
vs26 · Bottom 13%
Climate
60 · Bottom 13%
vs54 · Bottom 4%
Physical resilience
56 · Bottom 48%
vs49 · Bottom 42%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs96 · Top 17%
Access
73 · Bottom 15%
vs82 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 10%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Johnson City | Cortland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,940 | 17,450 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,283 | $59,482 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,450 | $28,083 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,282/sq mi | 4,481/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $117,100 | $152,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,031 | $975 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.3% | 45.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.6% | 27.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.6% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 31 | 3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 78°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 13°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.0" | 41.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 48 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.1 min | 18.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 27.4 | 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
Johnson City
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Cortland
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
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Johnson City
52
Your Score
52
Area Score
Cortland
56
Your Score
54
Area Score
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Full profiles: Johnson City, NY · Cortland, NY · How this is calculated: methodology