Natural hazards · Ellicott

Ellicott, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ellicott comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 16 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ellicott?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ellicott to be higher than in 67% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding88%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Ellicott faces

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

Inland flooding

88% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Ellicott flood?

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

16paid claims since 1979

$60Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19792026

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Chautauqua County.

Disasters that hit Ellicott

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into EllicottDeclared for Chautauqua County only

2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

$65K to the Town of Ellicott for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

$71K to the Town of Ellicott for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$5K to the Town of Ellicott for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$107K to the Town of Ellicott for repairs

2001

Snow

$12K to the Town of Ellicott for repairs

2000

Snow

$8K to the Town of Ellicott for repairs

1999

Snow

$6K to the Town of Ellicott for repairs

Chautauqua County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.

Around Ellicott

Ellicott and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Polandmostly inland floodingHigh

Jamestownmostly inland floodingHigh

Ellicottmostly inland floodingHigh

Ellerymostly inland floodingHigh

Gerrymostly inland floodingModerate

Lakewoodmostly inland floodingModerate

Bustimostly inland floodingLow

Celoronmostly 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. Ellicott covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ellicott’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Ellicott. 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 Ellicott total about $4.7M 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.