Natural hazards · Cooperstown

Cooperstown, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cooperstown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cooperstown?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cooperstown to be higher than in 61% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding81%Cold waves11%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Cooperstown faces

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

Inland flooding

81% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 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 Cooperstown flood?

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

4paid claims since 1978

$9Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Otsego County.

Disasters that hit Cooperstown

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CooperstownDeclared for Otsego County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$11K to the Village of Cooperstown for repairs

2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$15K to the Village of Cooperstown for repairs

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

5 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

13 households applied for aid $27K aid approved $11K to the Village of Cooperstown for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

65 households applied for aid $55K aid approved $53K to the Village of Cooperstown for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$13K to the Village of Cooperstown for repairs

2003

Ice Storm

$2K to the Village of Cooperstown for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$7K to the Village of Cooperstown for repairs

Otsego County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

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