Natural hazards · Goshen

Goshen, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Goshen comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 38 claims here since 1979. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Goshen?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Goshen to be higher than in 11% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding54%Hurricanes14%Drought7%Cold waves7%Earthquakes5%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Goshen faces

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

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 16% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Drought

7% of expected damage

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Goshen flood?

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

38paid claims since 1979

$568Kpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 11 claims, $351K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 6 claims, $37K
Tropical Storm Lee: 4 claims, $59K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Orange County.

Disasters that hit Goshen

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GoshenDeclared for Orange County only

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$59K to the Town of Goshen for repairs

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

$3K to the Town of Goshen for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$494K to the Town of Goshen for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$238K to the Town of Goshen for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$78K to the Town of Goshen for repairs

2003

Snow

$32K to the Town of Goshen for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$34K to the Town of Goshen for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$2K to the Town of Goshen for repairs

Orange County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Goshen

Goshen and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Warwickmostly inland floodingModerate

Blooming Grovemostly inland floodingLow

Hamptonburghmostly inland floodingLow

Floridamostly inland floodingLow

Chestermostly inland floodingLow

Wawayandamostly inland floodingVery low

Wallkillmostly inland floodingVery low

Chestermostly inland floodingVery low

Goshenmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Goshen covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Goshen’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Goshen. 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 Goshen total about $4.2M 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.