Natural hazards · Salem

Salem, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Salem comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1996. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Salem?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Salem to be higher than in 75% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding83%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Salem faces

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

Inland flooding

83% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Salem flood?

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

4paid claims since 1996

$43Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 2 claims, $41K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Washington County.

Disasters that hit Salem

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SalemDeclared for Washington County only

2011

Hurricane Irene

106 households applied for aid $418K aid approved $95K to the Town of Salem for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm

$52K to the Town of Salem for repairs

Washington County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Salem

Salem and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Salemmostly inland floodingHigh

Hebronmostly inland floodingHigh

Jacksonmostly inland floodingModerate

Greenwichmostly inland floodingModerate

Rupertmostly inland floodingLow

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. Salem covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Salem’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Salem. 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 Salem total about $1.7M 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.