City Report · NY

Cortland

Pop. 17,450·119th most expensive in New York·Cortland rents are up 10.5% over the past year

Median rent (all units)

$1,143/mo

Year-over-Year

+10.5%

Month-over-Month

+1.1%

vs US Median

-$789

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

Cortland · $1,143

More affordable than 94% of US cities · National median $1,932/mo

Affordability

23% of income

VERY AFFORDABLE

0%30% benchmark60%+

At $1,143/mo, rent takes about 23% of the local median household income, comfortably within the 30% benchmark.

Income to afford

$46,000/yr

Local median income

$59,482/yr

Based on the 30%-of-income rule using Cortland's median rent and household income. See the full affordability breakdown →

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$860

1 BR

$947

2 BR

$1,093

3 BR

$1,355

4 BR+

$1,464

Research median

$1,093/mo

Bedroom figures are derived from HUD Fair Market Rents and scaled to match Cortland's market median, because the published HUD values all ran above it. They are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Past year vs. the rest of New York

Rent in Cortland changed +10.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 82 New York cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +5.3%.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($59,482) is $1,487 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,300); a 2-bedroom is $1,500.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Cortland. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$13,716/yr

At $1,143/mo median

Rent Market Meter

Strong Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are up 10.5% year-over-year. Expect competition, and move quickly to lock in terms.

Based on rent-price momentum (+10.5% YoY, +1.1% MoM), not inventory.

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Demographics

Who lives here

Cortland, NY is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 27.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

17,450

Median income

$59,482

Median age

27.4

Renters

54.1%

Age distribution

14.8%

44.5%

18.5%

12.6%

Under 1814.8%

18–3444.5%

35–5418.5%

55–649.6%

65+12.6%

Gender

48.1%

51.9%

Male48.1%

Female51.9%

Race & ethnicity

87.1%

White87.1%

Black3.1%

Hispanic5.5%

Asian1.7%

Other2.5%

Education (25+)

33%

30.5%

27.2%

No HS diploma9.3%

HS diploma33%

Some college30.5%

Bachelor's+27.2%

Housing tenure

45.9%

54.1%

Owner45.9%

Renter54.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How Cortland, NY has changed in 5 years

Income

$50,697 → $59,482

up 17.3%

Population

17,577 → 17,450

down 0.7%

Renter share

53.7% → 54.1%

+0.4 pts

Bachelor's+

27.8% → 27.2%

-0.6 pts

Census figures show median household income at $59,482 today, compared with $50,697 five years earlier.

Community

Discussions about Cortland

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View Cortland rent history (2015–2026) →

Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in Cortland on your salary?

At $1,143/mo, how Cortland rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

Registered Nurse

Avg $107,707/yr · Rent = 12.7% income

very comfortable

Elementary School Teacher

Avg $76,471/yr · Rent = 17.9% income

very comfortable

Police Officer

Avg $88,088/yr · Rent = 15.6% income

very comfortable

Software Developer

Avg $157,445/yr · Rent = 8.7% income

very comfortable

Lawyer

Avg $201,176/yr · Rent = 6.8% income

very comfortable

Firefighter

Avg $71,603/yr · Rent = 19.2% income

very comfortable

Truck Driver

Avg $64,649/yr · Rent = 21.2% income

affordable

Electrician

Avg $79,686/yr · Rent = 17.2% income

very comfortable

By apartment size

Cortland rent by bedroom count

Median rent for each apartment size in Cortland. Click any size for full breakdown.

Local insights

Tips for renters in Cortland

About renting in Cortland, NY

Last updated: October 17, 2026

The median rent in Cortland is $1,143/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $860/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,093/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $947/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,355/mo.

At 23% of local median household income ($59,482/yr), Cortland ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 10.5% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in Cortland?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $46,000/year (about $22/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,143/mo in Cortland. The local median household income is $59,482/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in Cortland?

Rent in Cortland has risen 10.5% over the past year.

How does Cortland rent compare to other cities in New York?

Cortland is one of the more affordable among New York cities for rent, ranking #119 of 121 tracked cities at $1,143/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in Cortland changed +10.5%, against a typical +5.3% across the 82 New York cities Zillow tracks.

Income Affordability

23%

VERY AFFORDABLE

At $1,143/mo, rent takes ~23% of Cortland's median household income ($59,482/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.

Cortland 23%Benchmark 30%

State income tax4–10.9%

Run the Cortland affordability calculator →

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