Natural hazards · LaFayette

LaFayette, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in LaFayette comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1996. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is LaFayette?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in LaFayette to be higher than in 26% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding75%Tornadoes6%Strong wind6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What LaFayette faces

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

Inland flooding

75% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningAvalanches

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 LaFayette flood?

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

11paid claims since 1996

$120Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Fred: 2 claims, $12K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Onondaga County.

Disasters that hit LaFayette

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LaFayetteDeclared for Onondaga County only

2021

Remnants of Tropical Storm Fred

$351K to the Town of LaFayette for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

$19K to the Town of LaFayette for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$16K to the Town of LaFayette for repairs

2003

Ice Storm

$19K to the Town of LaFayette for repairs

Onondaga County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and hurricanes.

Around LaFayette

LaFayette and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pompeymostly inland floodingLow

LaFayettemostly inland floodingLow

DeWittmostly inland floodingVery low

Onondagamostly inland floodingVery low

Otiscomostly 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. LaFayette covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to LaFayette’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of LaFayette. 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 LaFayette total about $1.1M 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.