Natural hazards · Hancock

Hancock, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hancock comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1996. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hancock?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hancock to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding92%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Hancock faces

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

Inland flooding

92% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce 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 Hancock flood?

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

9paid claims since 1996

$127Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Torrential rain: 2 claims, $53K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Delaware County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

9flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Hancock

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HancockDeclared for Delaware County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$14K to the Village of Hancock for repairs

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

6 households applied for aid $19K aid approved $11K to the Village of Hancock for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

29 households applied for aid $44K aid approved $7K to the Village of Hancock for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm

$16K to the Village of Hancock for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

285 households applied for aid $823K aid approved $2.1M to the Village of Hancock for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

13 households applied for aid $21K aid approved $112K to the Village of Hancock for repairs

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

26 households applied for aid $31K aid approved $22K to the Village of Hancock for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$6K to the Village of Hancock for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

3 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $8K to the Village of Hancock for repairs

2003

Snow

$2K to the Village of Hancock for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$4K to the Village of Hancock for repairs

Delaware County has had 30 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Hancock

Hancock and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Hancockmostly inland floodingVery high

Buckinghammostly inland floodingHigh

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