When was Cortland County founded?

Cortland County was founded in 1808, formed from Onondaga County, and named after Pierre Van Cortlandt.

What is the county seat of Cortland County?

The county seat of Cortland County is Cortland.

Is there an online parcel map for Cortland County?

Yes. New York State Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Clearinghouse publishes a parcel map of 22,662 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Cortland County's boundary or name changed?

Cortland County was created in 1808 from Onondaga County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 1 later change, chiefly involving Broome County.

Who issues building permits in Cortland County?

The county's page on building permits: Pistol Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.

Who issues septic and well permits in Cortland County?

The county's page on septic systems and wells: Board of Health.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for Cortland County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

County · code 36023

Cortland CountyNew York

Cortland County is located in New York and was established in 1808. The county is named after Pierre Van Cortlandt and has its seat in Cortland.

Founded1808
County seatCortland
Named forPierre Van Cortlandt
Land area499 sq mi + 2.8 sq mi water
Population46,809 2020 Census
Parcels mapped22,662 checked 15 October 2026

Open the free map Click any parcel in Cortland County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated 19 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Formed in 1808 from Onondaga County

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

Cortland County was created in 1808 from Onondaga County. In 1815, Cortland gained additional territory from Broome County.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

1808
Cortland County created Cortland created from Onondaga.
from Onondaga
8 April 1808 · N.Y. Laws 1808, 31st sess., ch. 194, sec. 1/p. 365
1815
Gained territory Cortland gained from Broome.
from Broome
14 April 1815 · N.Y. Laws 1814, 38th sess., ch. 198/p. 200

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Cortland

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 22,662 parcels from New York State Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Clearinghouse. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 25 September 2026 · checked 15 October 2026
Address points Official

One point per address, 23,602 in all from NYS Office of Information Technology Services (ITS), Geospatial Services / GIS Program Office (AGOL org 'ShareGIS NY', owner NYSGIS_GPO).
edited 25 September 2026 · checked 14 October 2026
Buildings Reference

Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026

Official: from the office that keeps the record
Good enough: a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback: a guide only; check the official record
Missing: nothing public found yet

People and land

Cortland by the Census

Population

46,809 2020 Census count

Housing units

20,814 2020 Census count

Land area

499 square miles

Water area

2.8 square miles

People per sq mi

94 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

Who to ask before you build, dig or sell

Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.

Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.

Records

Assessor and property records
Real Property Tax Services
from cortlandcountyny.gov · checked 13 October 2026
Clerk of court: deeds and plats
County Clerk's Office
from cortlandcountyny.gov · checked 13 October 2026

Permits

Health department: septic and wellfrom cortlandcountyny.gov · checked 13 October 2026
Pistol Permitsfrom cortlandcountyny.gov

Zoning and code

Planning and zoningfrom cortlandcountyny.gov · checked 13 October 2026

County government

County government
The official website of Cortland County.
cortlandcountyny.gov

See your own lot on these maps

Open Cortland County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about Cortland County

When was Cortland County founded?: Cortland County was founded in 1808, formed from Onondaga County, and named after Pierre Van Cortlandt.
What is the county seat of Cortland County?: The county seat of Cortland County is Cortland.
Is there an online parcel map for Cortland County?: Yes. New York State Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Clearinghouse publishes a parcel map of 22,662 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Cortland County's boundary or name changed?: Cortland County was created in 1808 from Onondaga County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 1 later change, chiefly involving Broome County.
Who issues building permits in Cortland County?: The county's page on building permits: Pistol Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
Who issues septic and well permits in Cortland County?: The county's page on septic systems and wells: Board of Health.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Cortland County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

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