Share

Buffalo, NY vs Cortland, NY Crime Comparison

Side-by-side crime rates, safety scores, and trends based on FBI data.

Full report: Buffalo crime rate · Cortland crime rate

Moving from Buffalo, NY to Cortland, NY?

The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

Get the planner →

Is Buffalo, NY or Cortland, NY Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Cortland, NY is safer than Buffalo, NY (Safety Score 17/100 vs 6/100), with a total crime rate of 3,181 per 100,000 versus 4,517 for Buffalo, NY — 30% lower. Buffalo has higher rates in 1 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where Cortland has a 100% lower rate.

Note: Buffalo is 15.9x larger by coverage, which can affect crime rate comparisons. Larger cities tend to report higher rates due to density and more comprehensive reporting.

Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Buffalo, NY?

Buffalo — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Cortland — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Buffalo, NY

Buffalo, NY
Safety Score 6/100
Coverage 273,728
Total Crime Rate 4,516.5
Category Wins 1/7

Cortland, NY

Cortland, NY
Safety Score 17/100
Coverage 17,197
Total Crime Rate 3,180.8
Category Wins 6/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Buffalo Cortland Difference
Total Crime Rate 4,516.5 3,180.8 +1,335.7
Violent Crime Rate 706.9 226.8 +480.1
Murder Rate 12.4 0.0 +12.4
Rape Rate 43.5 40.7 +2.8
Robbery Rate 157.8 11.6 +146.2
Aggravated Assault Rate 492.5 174.5 +318.0
Property Crime Rate 3,809.6 2,954.0 +855.6
Burglary Rate 438.0 325.6 +112.4
Larceny-Theft Rate 2,573.4 2,581.9 -8.5
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 798.2 46.5 +751.7

All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.

Moving from Buffalo, NY to Cortland, NY?

The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

Get the planner →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Buffalo or Cortland safer?

Cortland, NY is safer with a total crime rate of 3,181 per 100K vs 4,517 for Buffalo, NY — a 30% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Buffalo has a violent crime rate of 706.9 per 100K while Cortland has 226.8. Cortland has lower violent crime.

About Buffalo, NY

Buffalo, a city on Lake Erie, boasts a rich industrial past and stunning architecture by masters like Frank Lloyd Wright. As the second-largest city in New York, it experiences distinct seasons, including significant snowfall. With a safety score of 6/100 and a population coverage of 273,728, Buffalo has a total crime rate of 4,516.5 per 100,000 residents.

About Cortland, NY

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. With a safety score of 17/100 and a population coverage of 17,197, Cortland has a total crime rate of 3,180.8 per 100,000 residents.

More Crime Rate Comparisons