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 high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 42 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Oneonta?

61
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Oneonta to be higher than in 61% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding71%Cold waves19%Everything else11%
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

71% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

19% 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 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 Oneonta flood?

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

42paid claims since 1978
$1.2Mpaid to owners
2homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Tropical Storm Lee: 8 claims, $47K
  • Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $5K

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. 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
1homes raised above flood level
Disasters that hit Oneonta

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OneontaDeclared for Otsego County only
2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$69K to the City of Oneonta for repairs
2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

80 households applied for aid $138K aid approved $268K to the City of Oneonta for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

26 households applied for aid $35K aid approved $6K to the City of Oneonta for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

410 households applied for aid $889K aid approved $2.9M to the City of Oneonta for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$312K to the City of Oneonta for repairs
2002

Snowstorms

$35K to the City of Oneonta for repairs
Otsego County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.
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 4 census tracts, 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 City 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 $5.3M 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