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Natural hazards · Clarence

Clarence, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Clarence comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 22 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Clarence?

30
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Clarence to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding74%Cold waves17%Everything else9%
By hazard

What Clarence faces

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

Inland flooding

74% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

17% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places
Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Clarence flood?

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

22paid claims since 1978
$72Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19782026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

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

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ClarenceDeclared for Erie County only
2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$297K to the Town of Clarence for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

298 households applied for aid $124K aid approved $864K to the Town of Clarence for repairs
2001

Severe Winter Storm

$133K to the Town of Clarence for repairs
2000

Snow

$51K to the Town of Clarence for repairs
1999

Snow

$26K to the Town of Clarence for repairs
Erie County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.
Around Clarence

Clarence and the towns around it

Royalton: Very low, mostly inland floodingLockport: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNewstead: Low, mostly inland floodingAmherst: Low, mostly inland floodingLancaster: Very low, mostly inland floodingHartland: Very low, mostly inland floodingShelby: Very low, mostly inland floodingAlabama: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCambria: Very low, mostly inland floodingNewfane: Very low, mostly inland floodingPendleton: High, mostly inland floodingAlden: Very low, mostly inland floodingPembroke: Low, mostly inland floodingCheektowaga: Low, mostly inland floodingBuffalo: High, mostly inland floodingNorth Tonawanda: High, mostly inland floodingTonawanda: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWheatfield: High, mostly inland floodingWilliamsville: Low, mostly inland floodingElma: Low, mostly inland floodingClarence: Low, mostly inland flooding ClarenceRoyaltonLockportNewsteadAmherstLancaster
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Lockportmostly inland floodingModerate
Amherstmostly inland floodingLow
Newsteadmostly inland floodingLow
Clarencemostly inland floodingLow
Royaltonmostly inland floodingVery low
Lancastermostly 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. Clarence covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Clarence’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Clarence. 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 Clarence total about $11.6M 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.

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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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