Natural hazards · Lawrence

Lawrence, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lawrence comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 13 claims here since 1979. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lawrence?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lawrence to be higher than in 27% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding61%Cold waves22%Earthquakes8%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Lawrence faces

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

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

22% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Lawrence flood?

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

13paid claims since 1979

$272Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 2 claims, $205K
Hurricane Gloria: 2 claims, $7K
December Storm - Nor'easter: 1 claim, $27K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: St. Lawrence County.

Disasters that hit Lawrence

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LawrenceDeclared for St. Lawrence County only

2024

Remnants of Tropical Storm Debby

$84K to the Town of Lawrence for repairs

St. Lawrence County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around Lawrence

Lawrence and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Brashermostly inland floodingModerate

Stockholmmostly inland floodingModerate

Dickinsonmostly inland floodingLow

Hopkintonmostly inland floodingLow

Lawrencemostly 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. Lawrence covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lawrence’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Lawrence. 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 Lawrence total about $480K 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.