Natural hazards · York

York, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in York comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2023. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is York?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in York to be higher than in 77% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding43%Tornadoes25%Hurricanes7%Cold waves6%Heat waves6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What York faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

25% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Hurricanes

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does York flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in York, from FEMA’s records.

2paid claims since 2023

$106Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20232026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. York isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Sumter County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

8storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit York

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in York itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of York.

Brought FEMA money into YorkDeclared for Sumter County only

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

18 households applied for aid $11K aid approved

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

60 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina

538 households applied for aid $394K aid approved $36K to the City of York for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

$21K to the City of York for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

471 households applied for aid $630K aid approved $25K to the City of York for repairs

Sumter County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. York is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to York’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of York. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.