Natural hazards · Richfield

Richfield, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Richfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 15 claims here since 1993. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Richfield?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Richfield to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding80%Cold waves12%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Richfield 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

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

12% 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 Richfield flood?

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

15paid claims since 1993

$433Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19932026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Lee: 3 claims, $101K
Hurricane Irene: 2 claims, $50K
December Nor'easter: 1 claim, $61K

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. Richfield 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 Richfield

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RichfieldDeclared for Otsego County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$7K to the Town of Richfield for repairs

2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$17K to the Town of Richfield for repairs

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

$12K to the Town of Richfield for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$11K to the Town of Richfield for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $444K to the Town of Richfield for repairs

2003

Ice Storm

$7K to the Town of Richfield for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$14K to the Town of Richfield for repairs

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

Around Richfield

Richfield and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Plainfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Exetermostly inland floodingHigh

Richfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Richfield Springsmostly inland floodingHigh

Otsegomostly inland floodingHigh

Springfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Winfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Warrenmostly inland floodingModerate

Columbiamostly 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. Richfield covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Richfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Richfield. 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 Richfield total about $1.3M 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.