Natural hazards · Knox

Knox, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Knox comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Knox?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Knox to be higher than in 17% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding67%Tornadoes11%Cold waves7%Hurricanes7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Knox faces

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

Inland flooding

67% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 99 years in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 20 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce 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 Knox flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Knox.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Albany County.

Disasters that hit Knox

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into KnoxDeclared for Albany County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$12K to the Town of Knox for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

5 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $615K to the Town of Knox for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm

$70K to the Town of Knox for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$79K to the Town of Knox for repairs

2003

Snow

$5K to the Town of Knox for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$11K to the Town of Knox for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$47K to the Town of Knox for repairs

Albany County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around Knox

Knox and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Wrightmostly inland floodingHigh

Bernemostly inland floodingModerate

Knoxmostly inland floodingVery low

Duanesburgmostly inland floodingVery low

Guilderlandmostly 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. Knox covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Knox’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Knox. 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 Knox total about $545K 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.