Natural hazards · Durham

Durham, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Durham comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Durham?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Durham to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding76%Hurricanes9%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Durham faces

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

Inland flooding

76% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 19 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Durham flood?

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

10paid claims since 1978

$222Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 7 claims, $207K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $2K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Greene County.

Disasters that hit Durham

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DurhamDeclared for Greene County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$25K to the Town of Durham for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

5 households applied for aid $210K to the Town of Durham for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm

$120K to the Town of Durham for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$35K to the Town of Durham for repairs

2003

Snow

$9K to the Town of Durham for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$19K to the Town of Durham for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$32K to the Town of Durham for repairs

Greene County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Durham

Durham and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Windhammostly inland floodingHigh

Rensselaervillemostly inland floodingHigh

Conesvillemostly inland floodingModerate

Cairomostly inland floodingModerate

Durhammostly inland floodingModerate

Greenvillemostly 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. Durham covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Durham’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Durham. 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 Durham total about $1.4M 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.