Section 2: Background

IV. An Overview of the Process
     The Five Sections of Study and their Indicators
     Background Information on the Statistics

The population of Cortland County declined slightly between 1990 and 2000. The city of Cortland lost over 1,000 people and 11 towns gained over 1,000 residents during that same period.

(Table D-1)

SUNY Cortland students are counted as Cortland residents in the US Census. Since 1950, the census has counted all college students in their college communities.

Nearly 97% of Cortland County residents identify themselves as white.

(Table D-2)

The largest non-white populations in Cortland County identify themselves as "two or more races." This is 1.2% of the total population.

(Table D-2)

County residents who identify as Hispanics constitute 1.2% of the population and those who identify as African Americans are 0.9% of the total population.

(Table D-2)

The 1997 Cortland County median household income was $33,758 compared to $36,369 for New York State.

(Table D-3)

Between 1990 and 2000, there was a 26.4% increase (from 447 to 565) in the Hispanic population and a 19.5% increase (from 317 to 399) in African Americans in the county. These changes reflect a national trend towards an increasingly racially and culturally diverse society.

(Table D-3)

Graphs D-1 (1990) and D-2 (1998) show the population aging as would be expected between those years.

List of Tables in Demographic Section

D1. Population of county municipalities, 1990 and 2000
      Map D-1 Cortland County
D2. Population by race, 2000
D3. 2000 US Census Summary — People QuickFacts
D4. Family income ranges — 1990
      Graph D-1 Population by age and gender, 1990
      Graph D-2 Population by age and gender, 1998