Natural hazards · Charlotte

Charlotte, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Charlotte comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim 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 Charlotte?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Charlotte to be higher than in 57% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding84%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Charlotte faces

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

Inland flooding

84% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Charlotte flood?

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

1paid claims since 1979

$156paid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Chautauqua County.

Disasters that hit Charlotte

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CharlotteDeclared for Chautauqua County only

2014

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$22K to the Town of Charlotte for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$2K to the Town of Charlotte for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$34K to the Town of Charlotte for repairs

2001

Snow

$12K to the Town of Charlotte for repairs

2000

Snow

$4K to the Town of Charlotte for repairs

1999

Snow

$4K to the Town of Charlotte for repairs

Chautauqua County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.

Around Charlotte

Charlotte and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Stocktonmostly inland floodingHigh

Charlottemostly inland floodingModerate

Arkwrightmostly inland floodingModerate

Cherry Creekmostly inland floodingModerate

Sinclairvillemostly inland floodingModerate

Villenovamostly inland floodingModerate

Gerrymostly inland floodingModerate

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