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Natural hazards · Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Niagara Falls comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 36 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Niagara Falls?

36
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Niagara Falls to be higher than in 36% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding83%Cold waves5%Everything else11%
By hazard

What Niagara Falls faces

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

Inland flooding

83% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

DroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Niagara Falls flood?

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

36paid claims since 1979
$107Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19792026

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
🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Niagara Falls is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Niagara County.
Disasters that hit Niagara Falls

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Niagara Falls itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Niagara Falls.

Brought FEMA money into Niagara FallsDeclared for Niagara County only
2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$54K to the City of Niagara Falls for repairs
2011

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

$155K to the City of Niagara Falls for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

15 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $8K to the City of Niagara Falls for repairs
2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

16 households applied for aid
2001

Snow

$43K to the City of Niagara Falls for repairs
1999

Snow

$51K to the City of Niagara Falls for repairs
Niagara County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.
Around Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls and the towns around it

Niagara: Low, mostly inland floodingWheatfield: High, mostly inland floodingGrand Island: Very low, mostly inland floodingLewiston: Very low, mostly inland floodingNorth Tonawanda: High, mostly inland floodingPendleton: High, mostly inland floodingAmherst: Low, mostly inland floodingCambria: Very low, mostly inland floodingTonawanda: Moderate, mostly inland floodingTonawanda: High, mostly inland floodingPorter: Very low, mostly inland floodingLewiston: Very low, mostly inland floodingNiagara Falls: Low, mostly inland flooding Niagara FallsNiagaraWheatfieldGrand IslandLewiston
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Wheatfieldmostly inland floodingHigh
Niagara Fallsmostly inland floodingLow
Niagaramostly inland floodingLow
Grand Islandmostly inland floodingVery low
Lewistonmostly 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. Niagara Falls covers 20 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Niagara Falls’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Niagara Falls. 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 Niagara Falls total about $9.4M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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