Natural hazards · Champion

Champion, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Champion comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1998. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Champion?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Champion to be higher than in 14% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding71%Cold waves9%Strong wind6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Champion faces

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

Inland flooding

71% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Champion flood?

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

2paid claims since 1998

$22Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19982026

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jefferson County.

Disasters that hit Champion

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChampionDeclared for Jefferson County only

2024

Remnants of Tropical Storm Debby

$17K to the Town of Champion for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$18K to the Town of Champion for repairs

1999

Snow

$4K to the Town of Champion for repairs

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

Around Champion

Champion and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Carthagemostly inland floodingHigh

Deferietmostly inland floodingHigh

Wilnamostly inland floodingHigh

Denmarkmostly inland floodingLow

Rutlandmostly inland floodingLow

Championmostly inland floodingVery low

West Carthagemostly inland floodingVery low

Le Raymostly inland floodingVery low

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. Champion covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

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

FEMA’s expected losses across Champion total about $645K a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

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.