Cortland County, New York: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cortland, Cortlandville and Homer
Cortland County is a generation frontier for New York. Cortland County is home to Cortland, Cortlandville, Homer and Virgil. 95 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by EDF Renewables Development, Inc. (solar). 5 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 436, down 13.7% since 2019. 65 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 17,469 jobs in 2025, down 4.7% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Cortland County
Cortland County is home to Cortland, Cortlandville, Homer and Virgil.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Blodgett Mills, Cortland West, Munsons Corners, Virgil.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Cortland County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 46,745 | 45,850 | ▼ 1.9% | 51st of 62 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 18,338 | 17,469 | ▼ 4.7% | 52nd of 62 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,819 | $57,509 | ▲ 37.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 505 | 436 | ▼ 13.7% | 51st of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 30 | 30 | ● 0.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 4.5% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 65 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 95 MW | 146% of today's fleet | 19th of 43 by size |
Its power plants have 65 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Electrical contractors employ 30, unchanged since 2019 against down 6.8% statewide, at an average $52,344 a year. Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. is the largest utility serving Cortland County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.22¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019. 45,850 people live here, down 1.9% since 2020.
Who powers Cortland County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +65 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Cortland County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,532,294 | 17.22¢ | 24% |
| New York State Elec & Gas Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 792,300 | 18.32¢ | 23% |
| Village of Marathon - (NY) | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 10
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 65 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NY8 - Janis Solar | MN8 Energy LLC | Solar | 20 MW | 2023 |
| Bellisario Solar 1 | Lapeer-Cortland Solar, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2021 |
| Bellisario Solar 2 | Lapeer-Cortland Solar, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2021 |
| Bellisario Solar 3 | Lapeer-Cortland Solar, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2021 |
| Cortlandville | Cortlandville PV, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2025 |
| Cortlandville I Solar CSG | DG New York CS, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2021 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homer Solar Energy Center | Solar Photovoltaic | 90 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | EDF Renewables Development, Inc. |
| Cortland CSG 2 LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 5 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Dimension Energy LLC |
The Cortland County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 17,469 | $57,509 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 436 | $70,983 | 0.47 |
| Electrical contractors | 30 | $52,344 | 0.24 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Cortland County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Cortland County. New York has 35 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Tompkins County.
Cortland County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Cortland County, Onondaga County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cortland County | 45,850 | ▼ 4.7% | 65 MW | 95 MW | — | — |
| Broome County | 195,736 | ▼ 2.1% | 188 MW | 15 MW | 1 | — |
| Cayuga County | 74,365 | ▼ 3.9% | 51 MW | 137 MW | — | — |
| Chenango County | 45,715 | ▲ 3.5% | 28 MW | 103 MW | — | — |
| Madison County | 67,120 | ▼ 2.4% | 118 MW | 182 MW | — | — |
| Onondaga County | 466,584 | ▲ 0.7% | 398 MW | 25 MW | 7 | — |
| Tioga County | 47,453 | ▼ 2.2% | 76 MW | 23 MW | — | — |
| Tompkins County | 104,047 | ▼ 4.0% | 118 MW | 160 MW | 1 | 1 |
More of New York
Cortland County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cortland County, New York?
3 utilities have service territory in Cortland County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., New York State Elec & Gas Corp, Village of Marathon - (NY). The largest, Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., charged residential customers 17.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Cortland, NY in?
Cortland is in Cortland County, New York. About 17,394 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Cortland County?
10 operating plants with 65 MW of capacity. The largest is NY8 - Janis Solar (20 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Cortland County?
95 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 5 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is EDF Renewables Development, Inc..
Are there data centers in Cortland County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Cortland County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Onondaga County.
Is Cortland County adding jobs?
Employers counted 17,469 jobs in 2025 against 18,338 in 2019 (-4.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 505 to 436.
Does Cortland County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Cortland County. New York has 35 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.