Property tax in Cortland County, New York
The median property tax bill in Cortland County, New York is $4,149 a year, which is about 2.56% of the county's median home value of $162,100. That effective rate is higher than the typical New York county (2.04%) and higher than the national median (0.81%). These are American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024); your own bill depends on your home's assessed value and any exemptions.
Estimate the property tax on a home in Cortland County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Cortland County's average effective rate of 2.56% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $4,150 / year
Property tax in Cortland County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $4,149 |
| Median home value | $162,100 |
| Effective tax rate | 2.56% |
| Typical New York county rate | 2.04% |
| National median county rate | 0.81% |
Effective rate = median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
How does Cortland County compare in New York?
Among New York's 62 counties, Cortland County has the 5th highest effective property-tax rate: 4 rank higher and 57 rank lower. That places it among the most heavily taxed counties in the state. Nationally, it ranks 10th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every New York county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Cortland County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Cortland County's 12,597 owner-occupied homes, 67.1% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 80.7% pay at least $2,000, and 2.9% pay under $800. Another 5.3% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 366 | 2.9% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 615 | 4.9% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 773 | 6.1% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 1,714 | 13.6% |
| $3,000 or more | 8,458 | 67.1% |
| No property tax paid | 671 | 5.3% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $4,381 and owners without one pay $3,813. Owners who have paid off a home have usually held it longer, and in states that cap how fast an existing owner's assessment can rise, long-held homes carry lower assessed values. Census table B25103.
How does the Cortland County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $4,149 is about 4.9% of the median income of Cortland County homeowner households, $85,175 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 66.3% of Cortland County's occupied homes are lived in by their owners; renters pay property tax too, just folded into rent.
Have property taxes gone up in Cortland County?
Yes. The median bill went from $3,848 in 2015-2019 to $4,149 in 2020-2024, a 7.8% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 30.9%, from $123,800 to $162,100. Bills rose more slowly than values, which is what assessment caps and falling millage rates do: the county is taxing a smaller share of each home's worth.
Two Census ACS 5-year periods with no survey years in common, in each period's own dollars. A change counts only if it exceeds the combined 90% margin of error.
Property tax in counties next to Cortland County
Cortland County borders 7 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cortland County, NY (this county) | 2.56% | $4,149 | $162,100 |
| Broome County, NY | 2.52% | $3,902 | $154,900 |
| Onondaga County, NY | 2.44% | $4,880 | $200,200 |
| Tioga County, NY | 2.33% | $3,751 | $160,800 |
| Chenango County, NY | 2.26% | $3,120 | $137,900 |
| Madison County, NY | 2.26% | $4,181 | $184,600 |
| Tompkins County, NY | 2.24% | $6,515 | $290,900 |
| Cayuga County, NY | 2.19% | $3,740 | $171,000 |
How is a home assessed in Cortland County?
New York sets the assessment rules and Cortland County applies them. How New York assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Cortland County?
Not as a flat dollar amount. New York's main owner-occupancy benefit is STAR, which reduces school taxes for owners with income up to $500,000 (STAR credit) or $250,000 (STAR exemption). That is the New York rule, and it applies in Cortland County. New York's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Cortland County?
There is no single statewide due date. County, city, town, village and school taxes are billed separately, often on different calendars, so check with your local tax collector. March 1 is commonly the taxable status date for exemptions.
That is the New York rule. Cortland County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Cortland County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the Board of Assessment Review, then Small Claims Assessment Review or an Article 7 proceeding. That is the New York rule; Cortland County sets the exact dates and forms. The New York appeal process step by step.
New York rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the New York page.
Work out your own numbers
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How much house can I afford?
Your income, debts and down payment against the 28/36 rule lenders actually use, with Cortland County's tax rate to hand.
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Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment with principal, interest, tax and insurance, plus what an extra payment saves you.
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New York income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what New York actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Cortland County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Cortland County, New York: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020-2024), tables B25103, B25077, B25102, B25119 and B25003; the five-year comparison uses the 2015-2019 estimates. Neighboring counties: Census county adjacency file.