Violent
Property
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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI 2024 crime data, Cortland, NY has a Safety Score of 16/100 — higher crime than 84% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,180.8 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,483 of 2,971 US cities and #111 of 132 in New York.
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Cortland, New York Safe?
Cortland, "The Crown City," sits in Central New York's hills. Home to SUNY Cortland, it's a small city with a population around 19,000.
Cortland has a safety score of 16/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data for 2024, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,180.8 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,752.3 per 100,000.
Cortland ranks #111 out of 132 cities in New York and #2483 out of 2971 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 16th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 84% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Cortland is larceny-theft, at 2,581.9 per 100K — 1.6x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.0x the national rate.
Year over year, Cortland's total crime rate decreased by 4.4%, with violent crime declining 36%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Cortland Crime Statistics Breakdown (2024)
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 39 | 226.8 | 473.3 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.0 | 6.2 |
| Rape | 7 | 40.7 | 43.4 |
| Robbery | 2 | 11.6 | 93.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 30 | 174.5 | 330.0 |
| Property Crime | 508 | 2,954.0 | 2,279.1 |
| Burglary | 56 | 325.6 | 287.8 |
| Larceny-Theft | 444 | 2,581.9 | 1,638.9 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 8 | 46.5 | 352.4 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Cortland vs New York Average
How does Cortland's crime rate compare to the New York state average?
| Metric | Cortland | New York Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 226.8 | 528.5 | -57.1% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,954.0 | 2,205.9 | +33.9% |
| Murder Rate | 0.0 | 3.8 | -100.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,180.8 | 2,734.4 | +16.3% |
Cortland Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Cortland, New York.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 17,197 | 3,180.8 | 226.8 | 2,954.0 |
| 2023 | 17,215 | 3,328.5 | 354.3 | 2,974.2 |
| 2022 | 17,061 | 4,020.9 | 287.2 | 3,733.7 |
| 2021 | 18,384 | 2,491.3 | 201.3 | 2,290.0 |
| 2020 | 18,615 | 3,024.4 | 263.2 | 2,761.2 |
| 2019 | 18,655 | 2,037.0 | 294.8 | 1,742.2 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cortland, New York safe?
Cortland has a safety score of 16/100, meaning it has less crime than about 16% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,180.8 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Cortland is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Cortland, New York?
According to FBI data for 2024, Cortland has a violent crime rate of 226.8 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,954.0 per 100,000 residents.
How does Cortland compare to the national average?
Cortland's total crime rate of 3,180.8 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 17,197 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Cortland?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Cortland include larceny-theft, aggravated assault, and burglary. Property crime is generally more common than violent crime.
Is Cortland safe to visit?
Like any city, Cortland has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 16/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.