-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 Cg+HMRDxslkSq6nDmD8HRDFDAmT+XNj6bY7m3gqpjNLoYkvwvJMahJL/qN88R2SQ
 G36A59c0kNpcxEno3xGDMg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001239944-03-000009.txt : 20030725
<SEC-HEADER>0001239944-03-000009.hdr.sgml : 20030725
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030725161944
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001239944-03-000009
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030723
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030725

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			WEARS JAMES A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001233262

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-13695
		FILM NUMBER:		03803841

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		322 HAMILTON STREET
		CITY:			OGDENSBURG
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			13669

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000723188
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS [6021]
		IRS NUMBER:				161213679
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5790 WIDEWATERS PKWY
		CITY:			DEWITT
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			13214
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8007242262

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5790 WIDEWATERS PARKWAY
		CITY:			DEWITT
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			13214
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-23</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000723188</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CBU</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001233262</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WEARS JAMES A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>President/Banking</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-23</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>24.75</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>18149.0777</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></va
lue></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-23</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>39.90</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>16649.0777</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option</value></securi
tyTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>24.75</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-23</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>24.75</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2002-01-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-01-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>6980</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnershi
p><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Does not include 699.9994 shares owned indirectly by spouse; 19,002.9137 shares owned indirectly through a 401(k) plan (which information is based on a plan statement dated December 31, 2002); 1,000.564 shares owned indirectly by son, Daniel; 837.481 shares owned indirectly by son, Thomas; and 200 shares owned indirectly by daughter, Julia.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Donna J. Drengel, as attorney-in-fact, pursuant to a power of attorney</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-25</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----