Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety56#6,873/15,637
Economy46#8,514/15,631
Housing44#8,366/14,977
Health70#4,614/15,609
Healthcare41#9,214/15,650
Environment51#7,579/15,453
Education41#9,265/15,649
Infrastructure72#4,305/15,650
Community43#8,984/15,651
Leisure & amenities39#9,494/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Cortland, Illinois ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “DeKalb County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Hospital quality rating · high4.5
94/100Illinois 3.0United States 3.2Jul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesDeKalb County value
Income inequality (Gini index) · low0.363
90/100Illinois 0.481United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Injury deaths · low61 /100k
87/100Illinois 80 /100kUnited States 87 /100k2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDeKalb County value
New homes permitted · high8.1 /1k
85/100Illinois 1.5 /1kUnited States 4.2 /1kSep 2025–Aug 2026U.S. Census BureauProvisional data
Flu vaccinations · high52.0%
83/100Illinois 48.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDeKalb County value
Public transit commuters · high1.9%
83/100Illinois 5.8%United States 3.2%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08301High uncertainty

Weaknesses

Effective property tax rate · high2.79%
1/100Illinois 1.88%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Primary care shortage · high17.0
9/100Illinois 6.6United States 6.2Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationDeKalb County value
Primary care physicians · low27 /100k
10/100Illinois 82 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDeKalb County value
Child care cost burden · high39.1%
11/100Illinois 30.4%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDeKalb County value
Dental care shortage · high17.0
12/100Illinois 4.8United States 5.7Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationDeKalb County value
Unemployment rate · high8.2%
16/100Illinois 4.6%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025High uncertainty

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
4,124 (2015-2019) → 4,564 (2020-2024)
+11%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
24.0% (2015-2019) → 78.0% (2020-2024)
+54 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Home price to income ratioWorsening
1.8× (2015-2019) → 3.2× (2020-2024)
+71%5 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×
Rent as share of incomeWorsening
22.3% (2015-2019) → 34.5% (2020-2024)
+12 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
New homes permittedImproving
5.4 /1k (2021) → 8.1 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
+50%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Bachelor's degree or higherWorsening
36.5% (2015-2019) → 26.7% (2020-2024)
−9.8 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Cortland, Illinois improved on 0 of 10 measures with a comparison and declined on 2. 8 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved0

No measure improved by more than its margin of error.

Declined2

Rent / income+12 points22.3% → 34.5%
Price / income+1.3×1.8× → 3.2×

All 10 measures

Change of every measure of Cortland, Illinois between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	31.9 min2015-2019	25.5 min2020-2024	−6.4 min	Within the margin of error	94%
Bachelor's degree or higher	36.5%2015-2019	26.7%2020-2024	−9.8 points	Within the margin of error	2%
Broadband subscriptions	96.4%2015-2019	95.3%2020-2024	−1.1 points	Within the margin of error	6%
Effective property tax rate	3.36%2015-2019	2.79%2020-2024	−0.6 points	Within the margin of error	93%
High school diploma or higher	94.0%2015-2019	93.7%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Within the margin of error	30%
Home price to income ratio	1.8×2015-2019	3.2×2020-2024	+1.3×	Declined	13%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3162015-2019	0.3642020-2024	+0.048	Within the margin of error	17%
Median household income	$84,9002015-2019	$73,9712020-2024	−13%	Within the margin of error	2%
Rent as share of income	22.3%2015-2019	34.5%2020-2024	+12 points	Declined	7%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	4.0%2015-2019	7.8%2020-2024	+3.9 points	Within the margin of error	14%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Cortland, Illinois five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Cortland, Illinois in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Cortland, Illinois itself moved −18.9 points in standing on average over the same 9 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

4,564 residents (±325)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 30–39 women (−7.3 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

4,564 residents (±325)

Cortland, Illinois
Illinois share

White70%3,194
Black5.1%†233
Hispanic or Latino17%783
Asian0.7%†32
American Indian and Alaska Native0.0%0
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races7.1%†322

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Black (−8.4 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

2,857 residents (±246)

Cortland, Illinois
Illinois share

No high school diploma6.3%†181
High school or GED27%775
Some college28%798
Associate degree12%†340
Bachelor's degree17%†476
Graduate degree10%†287

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

1,558 households (±134)

Cortland, Illinois
Illinois share

Under $25k7.3%†114
$25k–50k16%†246
$50k–75k28%†433
$75k–100k8.5%†132
$100k–150k19%†302
$150k–200k10%†157
$200k or more11%†174

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $75k–100k (−6.8 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

1,558 households (±134)

Cortland, Illinois
Illinois share

Own78%1,216
Rent22%†342

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

337 households (±150)

Cortland, Illinois
Illinois share

Under $7500.0%0
$750–1,00012%†42
$1,000–1,50035%†118

Home values

1,216 homes (±154)

Cortland, Illinois
Illinois share

Under $150k11%†135
$150k–250k47%568
$250k–400k41%504

Age of homes

1,558 homes (±134)

Cortland, Illinois
Illinois share

2010 or later6.2%†96
2000–200936%561
1980–199933%†517

Size of homes

1,558 homes (±134)

Cortland, Illinois
Illinois share

Studio0.0%0
1 bedroom0.0%0
2 bedrooms16%†256

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

2,192 workers (±247)

Cortland, Illinois
Illinois share

Drive alone80%1,753
Carpool8.1%†177
Public transit1.9%†42
Walk0.5%†10
Bike0.0%0
Work from home9.6%†210
Other0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Drive alone (−8.6 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

1,982 workers (±242)

Cortland, Illinois
Illinois share

Under 15 min47%†931
15–29 min20%388
30–44 min14%†273

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of DeKalb County, the county holding most of Cortland's residents.

DeKalb County has 1,975 employer establishments, 197 for every 10,000 residents (0.79× the US rate of 248; 0.77× Illinois's), with 29,129 paid employees at an average annual pay of $51,676. The Census Bureau also counts 6,858 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,975; 6,858 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 197; US 248 · Illinois 255
Paid employees: 29,129
Average annual pay: $51,676; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of DeKalb County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	173	17.3	1.12×About typical	1,000	$81,859	457
Restaurants and other eating places	159	15.9	0.86×About typical	2,812	$18,886	29
Ambulatory health care services	157	15.7	0.75×Fewer than typical	1,530	$78,271	246
Limited-service restaurants	84	8.4	1.05×About typical	1,600	$17,687	12
Building equipment contractors	67	6.7	1.11×About typical	381	$93,782	91
Truck transportation	64	6.4	1.26×More than typical	260	$60,912	169
Religious organizations	62	6.2	1.12×About typical	357	$21,092	—
Services to buildings and dwellings	62	6.2	0.92×About typical	315	$44,124	371
Full-service restaurants	61	6.1	0.79×Fewer than typical	1,022	$20,806	9
Offices of other health practitioners	58	5.8	0.95×About typical	330	$48,967	124
Automotive repair and maintenance	56	5.6	1.11×About typical	355	$42,039	88
Lessors of real estate	52	5.2	0.42×Fewer than typical	229	$48,611	595

Rank places for an industry Open DeKalb County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 100,131 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Cortland, Illinois: $0 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $0
Per resident: $0; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

302.6FY2017
73.3KFY2018
22.2KFY2019

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Cortland, Illinois, so they do not add up across cities.

Cortland, Illinois's figures are part of those of DeKalb County, IL ($1.6M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Cortland is mostly in DeKalb County.

See federal money in DeKalb County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Cortland, Illinois is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).