Background
Demographics
Highlights:
- The population of Cortland County declined slightly between 1990 and 2000. The city of Cortland lost over 1,000 people and 11 of the towns gained approximately as much. (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 persons of “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 1999 Cortland County median household income was $34,364 compared to $43,393 for New York State. (Table D-3)
- The median value of an owner-occupied home in Cortland County is $74,700 contrasted with $148,700 for the state. (Table D-3)
- Graph D-1 compares population changes between 1990 and 2000. The year 2000 generally saw losses of population in the younger age groups and gains in the older ones. These losses could have an impact on Cortland’s present and future labor force. The 2000 decline in the 60-69 year olds relates to the baby bust during the depression years. But among the 85+ year olds there was a 27% increase.
- Those over the age of 65 years are becoming an increasingly larger percentage of the population. (Graph D-7)