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Natural hazards · Niagara

Niagara, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Niagara comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 17 claims here since 1998. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Niagara?

28
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Niagara to be higher than in 28% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding86%Everything else14%
By hazard

What Niagara faces

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

Inland flooding

86% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places
Recorded about once 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 Niagara flood?

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

17paid claims since 1998
$126Kpaid to owners
3homes flooded more than once
19982026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Sandy: 1 claim, $13K

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. Niagara isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Niagara County.
Disasters that hit Niagara

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NiagaraDeclared for Niagara County only
2011

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

$10K to the Town of Niagara for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$9K to the Town of Niagara for repairs
2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$2K to the Town of Niagara for repairs
2001

Snow

$5K to the Town of Niagara for repairs
1999

Snow

$3K to the Town of Niagara for repairs
Niagara County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.
Around Niagara

Niagara and the towns around it

Niagara Falls: Low, mostly inland floodingLewiston: Very low, mostly inland floodingWheatfield: High, mostly inland floodingGrand Island: Very low, mostly inland floodingPorter: Very low, mostly inland floodingCambria: Very low, mostly inland floodingLewiston: Very low, mostly inland floodingNorth Tonawanda: High, mostly inland floodingPendleton: High, mostly inland floodingAmherst: Low, mostly inland floodingNiagara: Low, mostly inland flooding NiagaraNiagara FallsLewistonWheatfield
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Wheatfieldmostly inland floodingHigh
Niagara Fallsmostly inland floodingLow
Niagaramostly inland floodingLow
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 covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Niagara’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Niagara. 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 total about $2.1M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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