Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Homer grades B+ overall, 251st among New York's 745 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Residents are healthier than 94% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 82% of U.S. towns. On the other side, FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 77% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 98% of U.S. towns. On civic life, just 70 of New York’s 1,187 towns do better. 43% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Homer, above both the New York town median (32%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). On history, just 80 of New York’s 1,216 towns do better.
Where Homer beats most towns.
Census counts: 5,504 in 1820, 6,293 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 4 maps from 1903 on.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Homer is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Homer, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Homer.
Homer has homes that are cheap against local pay and has less tooth loss than most of New York, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of New York (mostly inland flooding).
Its widest gap with New York is tooth loss: 5.6% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 12.8% statewide.
9.4% of adults smoke cigarettes in Homer. Homer beats the New York average on 15 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 28% of adults have obesity in Homer.
| Homer | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 9.4% | 13% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 33% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 19% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| What stands out | Homer | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 5.6% | 12.8% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.6% | 17.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.5% | 7.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The average commute for its 1,422 working residents takes 22.3 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
Most working residents leave Homer for work: only 12% work in town. 6.2% of Homer residents live below the poverty line. Since 2013, Homer has added 70 jobs, to 1,032 in 2023.
| Homer | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 6.2% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $72,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 10% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 95% of New York towns, with expected losses of about $441 per resident a year; that rating is what its C− for hazard risk is built on.
Since 1981, 8 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Homer.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Homer has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Homer is 80°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Homer's reported crime rate is well below New York's. Homer’s property crime rate is 2.3 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Homer | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.3 per 1,000 residents | 7.6 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1 per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
People 65 and older are 22% of residents (18% statewide). Homer has lost 4.2% of its people since 2020, down to 3,054 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 43% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 40% across New York.
| Homer | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 22% | 20% | 18% |
| Median age | 39.8 years | 43 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 21% | 20% | 22% |
55% women, 45% men
About 82 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±4.8 points). Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women.
| Homer | NY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.8% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.3% | 9.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.6% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.6% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.2% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 5.7% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.4% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.7% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.7% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.1% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 20.3% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.9% | 14.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.9% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 26.9% | 22.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 15.9% | 17.9% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,100, single groups can be off by several points
| Homer | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Durkee Park | — | 12 |
| 2. Harry A. Calale Park | — | 4 |
| 3. Homer Village Green | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
At 2.3 years of the Cortland area’s $70K median household income, the typical home costs less against local pay than in 81% of New York towns; that ratio is one input to its C for cost of living.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Homer. Close and well known come first.
28 mi Stadium & arenaJMA Wireless Dome
36 mi LakeSeneca Lake
27 mi LakeCayuga Lake
31 mi LakeOnondaga Lake
22 mi State parkTaughannock Falls State Park
39 mi State parkWatkins Glen State ParkJMA Wireless Dome: Jimhoward03, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Seneca Lake: RochesterNY, Public domain · Cayuga Lake: The original uploader was Cornellrockey at English Wikipedia. Later versions we, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Onondaga Lake: R. A. Nonenmacher, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Taughannock Falls State Park: Michael C. Rygel, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Watkins Glen State Park: Flickr user: Peter Rivera Stamford, Connecticut https://www.flickr.com/people/ri, CC BY 2.0
2 within 15 miles of the center of Homer
About 1 of every 100 Homer residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
Where Homer’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
13 notable people were born in Homer.
Town in New York, United States
Homer is a town in Cortland County, New York, United States of America. The population was 6,405 at the 2010 census. The name is from the Greek poet Homer. The town of Homer contains a village called Homer. The town is situated on the west border of Cortland County, immediately north of the city of Cortland.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Homer grades B+ overall, better than 69% of U.S. towns and #251 of 745 in New York. It grades A for health and B− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a C−.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
13 notable people were born here, including Amelia Bloomer and Andrew Dickson White.
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