Natural hazards · Oneonta

Oneonta, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Oneonta comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 32 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Oneonta?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Oneonta to be higher than in 56% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding74%Cold waves16%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Oneonta faces

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

Inland flooding

74% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Oneonta flood?

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

32paid claims since 1978

$1.9Mpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Lee: 12 claims, $393K
Torrential rain: 1 claim, $20K
March 2010 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $1K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Otsego County.

Disasters that hit Oneonta

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OneontaDeclared for Otsego County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$27K to the Town of Oneonta for repairs

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

$93K to the Town of Oneonta for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$21K to the Town of Oneonta for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$1.8M to the Town of Oneonta for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$27K to the Town of Oneonta for repairs

2003

Ice Storm

$9K to the Town of Oneonta for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$11K to the Town of Oneonta for repairs

Otsego County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Oneonta

Oneonta and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Otegomostly inland floodingVery high

Laurensmostly inland floodingVery high

Milfordmostly inland floodingHigh

Davenportmostly inland floodingHigh

Franklinmostly inland floodingHigh

Oneontamostly 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. Oneonta covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Oneonta’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Oneonta. 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 Oneonta 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.