Natural hazards · De Kalb

De Kalb, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in De Kalb 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 De Kalb?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in De Kalb to be higher than in 20% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding64%Cold waves19%Earthquakes8%Everything else10%

By hazard

What De Kalb faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

19% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 De Kalb flood?

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

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. De Kalb 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 De Kalb

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into De KalbDeclared for St. Lawrence County only

2024

Remnants of Tropical Storm Debby

$27K to the Town of De Kalb for repairs

1999

Snow

$12K to the Town of De Kalb for repairs

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

Around De Kalb

De Kalb and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Oswegatchiemostly inland floodingModerate

Macombmostly inland floodingModerate

Gouverneurmostly inland floodingLow

Cantonmostly inland floodingLow

De Kalbmostly inland floodingLow

De Peystermostly inland floodingLow

Hermonmostly 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. De Kalb covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to De Kalb’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of De Kalb. 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 De Kalb total about $1.1M 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.