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Natural hazards · Portland

Portland, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Portland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Portland?

26
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Portland to be higher than in 26% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding80%Tornadoes7%Everything else14%
By hazard

What Portland faces

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

Inland flooding

80% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Portland flood?

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

5paid claims since 1979
$18Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19792026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Portland isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Chautauqua County.
Disasters that hit Portland

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PortlandDeclared for Chautauqua County only
2014

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$15K to the Town of Portland for repairs
2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

$20K to the Town of Portland for repairs
2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$28K to the Town of Portland for repairs
2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

$2K to the Town of Portland for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$16K to the Town of Portland for repairs
2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$15K to the Town of Portland for repairs
2001

Snow

$9K to the Town of Portland for repairs
2000

Snow

$4K to the Town of Portland for repairs
1999

Snow

$4K to the Town of Portland for repairs
Chautauqua County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.
Around Portland

Portland and the towns around it

Pomfret: Low, mostly inland floodingWestfield: Very low, mostly inland floodingDunkirk: Very low, mostly inland floodingArkwright: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSheridan: Very low, mostly inland floodingFredonia: Low, mostly inland floodingStockton: High, mostly inland floodingChautauqua: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRipley: Very low, mostly inland floodingSherman: Low, mostly inland floodingPortland: Low, mostly inland flooding PortlandPomfretWestfield
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Portlandmostly inland floodingLow
Pomfretmostly inland floodingLow
Westfieldmostly 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. Portland covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Portland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Portland. 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 Portland total about $1.2M 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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You’re in Portland, NYChautauqua CountyView boundary

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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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