Cortland, Illinois
Cortland is a town of 4,564 people in DeKalb County, Illinois, founded in 1865.
Why visit Cortland
Townapedia lists 10 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 1 place to eat and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include AMC Market Square 10, Adolphus W. Brower House and Chicago and Northwestern Depot.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 13°F, and about 33 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Cortland
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Cortland
Cortland is an incorporated town in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,398 at the 2020 Census. It was previously 4,270 at the 2010 census, up from 2,066 in 2000. Because of its status as an incorporated town, Cortland has adopted the slogan, "The Third Largest Town in Illinois".
From the Wikipedia article Cortland, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks10
Adolphus W. Brower House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Chicago and Northwestern Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Railway station in Sycamore, the United States of America
Egyptian Theatre, DeKalb
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Movie theater in DeKalb, Illinois
Ellwood House
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Elmwood Cemetery Gates
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Historic structure in Sycamore, Illinois
George H. Gurler House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Haish Memorial Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Library in De Kalb, Illinois, United States
Sycamore Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Historic district in Sycamore, Illinois
William W. Marsh House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Restaurants and cafes1
Sam's Family Restaurant
Restaurant · Regional · 1.0 mi
11 West North Avenue, Pontiac
History
A post office called Cortland has been in operation since 1892. The town was named after Cortland, New York.
From the History section of Cortland, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries21
Map of Cortland
47 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 13°F | 1.7 in | 10.2 in |
| Feb | 32°F | 17°F | 1.7 in | 8.7 in |
| Mar | 45°F | 27°F | 2.2 in | 4.4 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 37°F | 3.6 in | 1.3 in |
| May | 70°F | 49°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 60°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 63°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 61°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 53°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 41°F | 3.0 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 30°F | 2.3 in | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 19°F | 2.0 in | 6.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for De Kalb (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
DeKalb County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2008-10-03: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2007-09-25: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Aurora Municipal Airport (AUZ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 16 miles away.
- DeKalb 3 mi west, about 5 min by car
- Sycamore 4 mi north, about 7 min by car
- Campton Hills 14 mi east, about 23 min by car
- Big Rock 14 mi southeast, about 23 min by car
- Pingree Grove 17 mi northeast, about 27 min by car
- Geneva 19 mi east, about 30 min by car
- St. Charles 19 mi east, about 31 min by car
- Elgin 20 mi east, about 32 min by car
- South Elgin 20 mi east, about 32 min by car
- Huntley 20 mi northeast, about 33 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- DeKalbEgyptian7, Andy McMurray, CC BY 2.5
- Sycamore Chicago and Northwestern Depot4, Andy McMurray, CC BY 2.5
- ElmwoodCemeteryGates1, Andy McMurray, CC BY 2.5
- William W Marsh House4, Andy McMurray, CC BY 2.5
- Ellwood House DeKalb Illinois 2022-6682, Paul R. Burley, CC0
- Sycamore Il District Streets1, A McMurray, CC BY 2.5
- Haish Memorial Library, IvoShandor at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- GurlerHouse1, Andy McMurray, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Adolphus W Brower House7, Andy McMurray, CC BY 2.5
- MMNHjpg, Mmnathistory, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Aurora borealis, 10-11-24, seen from Dekalb IL! (54238787871), Elizabeth Pector, CC BY 2.0
- Aurora borealis, 10-10-24, seen from Dekalb IL! (54237890147), Elizabeth Pector, CC BY 2.0
- N916DN De Kalb Taylor DKB ILLINOIS (7160195416), Eric Salard, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Dekalb Taylor Municipal Airport in the morning (50908589957), Joseph Gage from Yorkville, IL, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- C-212 Aviocar in the morning (50908589862), Joseph Gage from Yorkville, IL, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Red Sky at the Airport (50908589887), Joseph Gage from Yorkville, IL, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.