Natural hazards · Colton

Colton, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Colton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Colton?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Colton to be higher than in 31% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding79%Cold waves8%Earthquakes8%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Colton faces

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

Inland flooding

79% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Colton flood?

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: St. Lawrence County.

Disasters that hit Colton

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ColtonDeclared for St. Lawrence County only

2024

Remnants of Tropical Storm Debby

$2.6M to the Town of Colton for repairs

1999

Snow

$4K to the Town of Colton for repairs

St. Lawrence County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around Colton

Colton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Parishvillemostly inland floodingHigh

Long Lakemostly inland floodingHigh

Cliftonmostly inland floodingModerate

Claremostly inland floodingModerate

Coltonmostly inland floodingLow

Piercefieldmostly inland floodingLow

Hopkintonmostly 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. Colton covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Colton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Colton. 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 Colton total about $723K 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.