Natural hazards · Machias

Machias, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Machias comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Machias?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Machias to be higher than in 76% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding88%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Machias faces

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

Inland flooding

88% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Machias flood?

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cattaraugus County.

Disasters that hit Machias

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MachiasDeclared for Cattaraugus County only

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $136K to the Town of Machias for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$9K to the Town of Machias for repairs

2001

Snow

$12K to the Town of Machias for repairs

2000

Snow

$5K to the Town of Machias for repairs

1999

Snow

$7K to the Town of Machias for repairs

Cattaraugus County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.

Around Machias

Machias and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Machiasmostly inland floodingHigh

Franklinvillemostly inland floodingHigh

Ellicottvillemostly inland floodingHigh

Farmersvillemostly inland floodingHigh

Ashfordmostly inland floodingHigh

Yorkshiremostly inland floodingModerate

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. Machias is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Machias’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Machias. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.