Oneonta and Cortland 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
Oneonta
Cortland
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 38%
vs47 · Bottom 30%
Growth
36 · Bottom 25%
vs26 · Bottom 13%
Climate
53 · Bottom 2%
vs54 · Bottom 4%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 29%
vs49 · Bottom 42%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 19%
vs96 · Top 17%
Access
69 · Bottom 12%
vs82 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 4%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Oneonta | Cortland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,045 | 17,450 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,111 | $59,482 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,009 | $28,083 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,450/sq mi | 4,481/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $184,100 | $152,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,021 | $975 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.0% | 45.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.4% | 27.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 78°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 13°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.8" | 41.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 57 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 16.8 min | 18.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 23.1 | 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
Oneonta
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Cortland
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Oneonta, NY · Cortland, NY · How this is calculated: methodology