Natural hazards · Hope

Hope, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hope comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 36 claims here since 1978. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hope?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hope to be higher than in 81% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding88%Cold waves6%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Hope 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 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Hope flood?

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

36paid claims since 1978

$216Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19782026

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Hamilton County.

Disasters that hit Hope

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HopeDeclared for Hamilton County only

2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$97K to the Town of Hope for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$3K to the Town of Hope for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$5K to the Town of Hope for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$84K to the Town of Hope for repairs

Hamilton County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Hope

Hope and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Hopemostly inland floodingVery high

Bensonmostly inland floodingVery high

Wellsmostly inland floodingVery high

Northamptonmostly inland floodingModerate

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