Natural hazards · Plainfield

Plainfield, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Plainfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Plainfield?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Plainfield to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding77%Cold waves15%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Plainfield faces

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

Inland flooding

77% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

15% 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 Plainfield flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Plainfield 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 Plainfield

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PlainfieldDeclared for Otsego County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$3K to the Town of Plainfield for repairs

2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

$29K to the Town of Plainfield for repairs

2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$10K to the Town of Plainfield for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$47K to the Town of Plainfield for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$188K to the Town of Plainfield for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$5K to the Town of Plainfield for repairs

2003

Ice Storm

$3K to the Town of Plainfield for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$5K to the Town of Plainfield for repairs

2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$21K to the Town of Plainfield for repairs

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

Around Plainfield

Plainfield and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Edmestonmostly inland floodingHigh

Plainfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Exetermostly inland floodingHigh

Richfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Brookfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Burlingtonmostly inland floodingModerate

Bridgewatermostly inland floodingModerate

Winfieldmostly 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. Plainfield 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 Plainfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Plainfield. 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.