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 387 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters 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 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding64%Earthquakes12%Coastal flooding8%Hurricanes7%Everything else8%

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

64% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 39% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Coastal flooding

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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.

387paid claims since 1978

$29.8Mpaid to owners

38homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 244 claims, $27.8M
Hurricane Irene: 33 claims, $546K
December Storm - Nor'easter: 13 claims, $145K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

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: Nassau County.

Disasters that hit Lawrence

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LawrenceDeclared for Nassau County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

24 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2012

Hurricane Sandy

781 households applied for aid $3.9M aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

33 households applied for aid $91K aid approved

Nassau County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Lawrence

Lawrence and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Long Beachmostly inland floodingModerate

Atlantic Beachmostly inland floodingLow

Hempsteadmostly inland floodingLow

Woodsburghmostly inland floodingLow

Lawrencemostly inland floodingLow

Cedarhurstmostly inland floodingLow

New Yorkmostly 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. 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 Village 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 $2.4M 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.