Natural hazards · Johnstown

Johnstown, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Johnstown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 28 claims here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Johnstown?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Johnstown to be higher than in 52% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding78%Cold waves7%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Johnstown faces

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

Inland flooding

78% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Johnstown flood?

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

28paid claims since 1979

$328Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Lee: 3 claims, $18K
Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $10K
Not a named storm: 1 claim, $797

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Fulton County.

Disasters that hit Johnstown

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JohnstownDeclared for Fulton County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$22K to the City of Johnstown for repairs

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

24 households applied for aid $44K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$190K to the City of Johnstown for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

75 households applied for aid $92K aid approved $13K to the City of Johnstown for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$13K to the City of Johnstown for repairs

Fulton County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Johnstown

Johnstown and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Mohawkmostly inland floodingHigh

Johnstownmostly inland floodingModerate

Gloversvillemostly inland floodingLow

Johnstownmostly 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. Johnstown covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Johnstown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Johnstown. 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 Johnstown total about $3.0M 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.