Natural hazards · Somerset

Somerset, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Somerset comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1979. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Somerset?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Somerset to be higher than in 4% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding72%Cold waves7%Everything else22%

By hazard

What Somerset faces

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

Inland flooding

72% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Somerset flood?

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

1paid claims since 1979

$446paid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 1 claim, $446

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Niagara County.

Disasters that hit Somerset

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SomersetDeclared for Niagara County only

2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$22K to the Town of Somerset for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

$4K to the Town of Somerset for repairs

1999

Snow

$5K to the Town of Somerset for repairs

Niagara County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.

Around Somerset

Somerset and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Yatesmostly inland floodingLow

Hartlandmostly inland floodingVery low

Newfanemostly inland floodingVery low

Somersetmostly 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. Somerset covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Somerset’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Somerset. 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 Somerset total about $422K 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.