Natural hazards · Ilion

Ilion, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ilion comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 152 claims here since 1982. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ilion?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ilion to be higher than in 79% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding89%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Ilion faces

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

Inland flooding

89% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 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 Ilion flood?

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

152paid claims since 1982

$1.3Mpaid to owners

24homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Lee: 17 claims, $88K
Hurricane Irene: 7 claims, $49K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Herkimer County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

37flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Ilion

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into IlionDeclared for Herkimer County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$29K to the Village of Ilion for repairs

2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$203K to the Village of Ilion for repairs

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

45 households applied for aid $34K aid approved $85K to the Village of Ilion for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

104 households applied for aid $102K aid approved $12K to the Village of Ilion for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

93 households applied for aid $53K aid approved $219K to the Village of Ilion for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$15K to the Village of Ilion for repairs

2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$5K to the Village of Ilion for repairs

Herkimer County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Ilion

Ilion and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Ilionmostly inland floodingHigh

German Flattsmostly inland floodingHigh

Mohawkmostly inland floodingHigh

Herkimermostly inland floodingModerate

Frankfortmostly 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. Ilion covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ilion’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Ilion. 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 Ilion total about $3.4M 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.