Is Cortland County, NY good for real estate investing?

Cortland County has an investment score of 75/100, rated as "Strong Buy". The county ranks #37 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Cortland?

The rent-to-price ratio in Cortland County is 7.25% annually, which ranks in the 82th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Cortland?

The median home price in Cortland County is $196,363. This ranks #345 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Cortland?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Cortland County would generate negative cash flow of $257/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Cortland County

New YorkPopulation: 46,755

/100

Buy for appreciation

#37 of 1,000 counties

#2 in New York (62 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated May 11, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$196,363

Median Home Price

16% below national median

$1,187/mo

Median Rent

21% below national median

7.25%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 18% nationally

-$257

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,187/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$147,272	+-$0/mo	6.3%	+0.0%
Median typical MLS deal	$196,363	-$257/mo	4.7%	-6.8%
125% of median newer / premium	$245,454	-$515/mo	3.8%	-10.9%

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$196,363

Down Payment (20%)$39,273

Loan Amount$157,090

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,187

Monthly P&I-$1,029

Est. Expenses (35%)-$415

Net Cash Flow-$257/mo

4.7%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-6.8%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.25%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.7% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

75/100

Cash Flow(30%)

73/100

Based on 7.25% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

93/100

Based on 7.5% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

85/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.0x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Above-average rent-to-price ratio (7.25%)
+Strong price appreciation (+7.5% YoY)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$257/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 4.7% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

46,755

Median Income

$65,029

vs $57,059 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

3.0x

Moderately affordable

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield
+Value-add operators who can buy below median and force rent up

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
BroomeNY	76	$187,106	$1,421	9.11%	Strong Buy	View
CurrentCortlandNY	75	$196,363	$1,187	7.25%	Strong Buy
OneidaNY	75	$225,470	$1,472	7.84%	Strong Buy	View
SenecaNY	73	$210,142	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
ChemungNY	73	$151,982	$1,161	9.17%	Buy	View
CattaraugusNY	73	$158,795	$1,089	8.23%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

Buy for appreciationCortland scores strongly overall, but a leveraged buy-and-hold loses $257/mo at current rates. Best fit for appreciation-focused buyers, all-cash operators, or value-add deals below median.

Cortland County in New York scores 75/100, ranking #37 of 1,000 US counties (top 5%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $257/month; the 7.25% gross rent-to-price ratio doesn't survive debt service. The thesis here is appreciation, value-add, house hacking, or all-cash.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-257/mo

Cap Rate

4.7%

Cash-on-Cash

-6.8%

Related markets

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Cheaper alternatives to Cortland

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in New York →

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Cortland?

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Scenario comparison

Same $1,187/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$147,272	+-$0/mo	6.3%	+0.0%
Median typical MLS deal	$196,363	-$257/mo	4.7%	-6.8%
125% of median newer / premium	$245,454	-$515/mo	3.8%	-10.9%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$196,363

Down Payment (20%)$39,273

Loan Amount$157,090

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,187

Monthly P&I-$1,029

Est. Expenses (35%)-$415

Net Cash Flow-$257/mo

4.7%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-6.8%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.25%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.7% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

75/100

Cash Flow(30%)

73/100

Based on 7.25% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

93/100

Based on 7.5% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

85/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.0x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield
+Value-add operators who can buy below median and force rent up

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)

County

Verdict

BroomeNY

$187,106

$1,421

9.11%

Strong Buy

View

CurrentCortlandNY

$196,363

$1,187

7.25%

Strong Buy

OneidaNY

$225,470

$1,472

7.84%

Strong Buy

View

SenecaNY

$210,142

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

ChemungNY

$151,982

$1,161

9.17%

Buy

View

CattaraugusNY

$158,795

$1,089

8.23%

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

Monthly Cash Flow

$-257/mo

Cap Rate

4.7%

Cash-on-Cash

-6.8%