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Natural hazards · Charleston

Charleston, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Charleston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Charleston?

38
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Charleston to be higher than in 38% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding76%Cold waves7%Everything else17%
By hazard

What Charleston faces

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

Inland flooding

76% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Charleston flood?

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

12paid claims since 1979
$497Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 4 claims, $439K
  • Torrential rain: 2 claims, $25K
  • March 2010 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $1K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Charleston isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Montgomery County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Charleston

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CharlestonDeclared for Montgomery County only
2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$15K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

1 household applied for aid $88K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$9K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$10K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$6K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
2002

Snowstorms

$10K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
Montgomery County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.
Around Charleston

Charleston and the towns around it

Florida: Low, mostly inland floodingDuanesburg: Very low, mostly inland floodingGlen: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRoot: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCarlisle: Low, mostly inland floodingEsperance: High, mostly inland floodingAmsterdam: Low, mostly inland floodingAmsterdam: High, mostly inland floodingPrincetown: Low, mostly inland floodingMohawk: High, mostly inland floodingRotterdam: Low, mostly inland floodingEsperance: High, mostly inland floodingWright: High, mostly inland floodingKnox: Very low, mostly inland floodingSchoharie: High, mostly inland floodingFultonville: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFonda: High, mostly inland floodingCanajoharie: High, mostly inland floodingPalatine: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSharon: Low, mostly inland floodingCobleskill: Low, mostly inland floodingCharleston: Low, mostly inland flooding CharlestonFloridaDuanesburgGlenRootCarlisleEsperance
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Esperancemostly inland floodingHigh
Glenmostly inland floodingModerate
Rootmostly inland floodingModerate
Charlestonmostly inland floodingLow
Floridamostly inland floodingLow
Carlislemostly inland floodingLow
Duanesburgmostly 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. Charleston 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 Charleston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Charleston. 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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