Natural hazards · Benson

Benson, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Benson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Benson?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Benson to be higher than in 81% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding88%Cold waves6%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Benson faces

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

Inland flooding

88% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Benson flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Benson.

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Hamilton County.

Disasters that hit Benson

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BensonDeclared for Hamilton County only

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$9K to the Town of Benson for repairs

Hamilton County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Benson

Benson and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bensonmostly inland floodingVery high

Hopemostly inland floodingVery high

Wellsmostly inland floodingVery high

Bleeckermostly inland floodingModerate

Northamptonmostly inland floodingModerate

Mayfieldmostly inland floodingLow

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. Benson 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 Benson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Benson. 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.