Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Homer grades B− overall, ranked 417th of 745 in New York, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns. On the other side, FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 73% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 96% of U.S. towns, with 4 places on the National Register. Its National Register listings include US Post Office-Homer and Old Homer Village Historic District. 25% of residents are 65 or older in Homer, above both New York’s towns (20%) and U.S. towns (18%). Homer's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 87% of U.S. towns.
Where Homer beats most towns.
Census counts: 5,504 in 1820, 6,293 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 4 maps from 1903 on.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
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 gets more snow than nearly all U.S. towns and has less no health insurance 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 no health insurance: 5.1% of those 18–64 have no health insurance, against 7.9% statewide.
30% of adults have obesity in Homer. Homer beats the New York average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 9.5% of adults have diabetes in Homer.
| Homer | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 33% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.5% | 11% | 12% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 33% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 17% | 19% |
| What stands out | Homer | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.4% | 17.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.6% | 7.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Homer Central School District.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homer Intermediate SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades 3–5 | Grades 3–5 | 443 | C+ |
| Homer Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 558 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation
The average commute for its 2,722 working residents takes 23.3 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
Most working residents leave Homer for work: only 12% work in town. 6.3% of Homer residents live below the poverty line. Jobs based in Homer grew to 1,208 in 2023, 72 more than in 2013.
| Homer | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 6.3% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $74,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 92% of New York towns, with expected losses of about $407 per resident a year; that rating is what its C− for hazard risk is built on.
Since 1981, 7 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Homer.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The Tully Heiberg Forest weather station, 8 miles away, records that 117 inches of snow fall in a normal winter, more than in 98% of U.S. towns.
Homer has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Homer’s July high is 80°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
People 65 and older are 25% of residents (18% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 17% of residents (23% statewide). The median age in Homer is 48.4 years. Homer has lost 3.4% of its people since 2020, down to 6,077 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
| Homer | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.4 years | 42.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 19% | 20% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 37% | 32% | 29% |
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.1 points. Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women.
| Homer | NY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.9% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.9% | 9.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.6% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.7% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.6% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.6% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.4% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.8% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.5% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.2% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 24.3% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 19% | 14.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.7% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.7% | 22.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 16% | 17.9% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
1.5 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Casterline Pond Waterway Access | — | 14 |
| 2. Durkee Park | — | 12 |
| 3. Harry A. Calale Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
2 within 15 miles of the center of Homer
About 2 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
4 places in Homer on the National Register of Historic Places.
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)
5 towns share a border with Homer.
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homer | #417 | B− | C | — | B− | A− |
| Cortlandville | #445 | C+ | B− | — | C+ | B |
| Truxton | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Preble | — | — | B− | — | B− | A− |
| Scott | — | — | B+ | — | B− | A |
| Summerhill | — | — | C+ | — | B− | B− |
Preble, Scott and Summerhill have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Homer, Cortlandville, Preble, Scott and Summerhill report no FBI crime data of their own. Truxton isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Homer with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Homer grades B− overall, better than 46% of U.S. towns and #417 of 745 in New York. It grades A− for health and B− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a C−.
13 notable people were born here, including Amelia Bloomer and Andrew Dickson White.
