Natural hazards · Walden

Walden, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Walden comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1980. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Walden?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Walden to be higher than in 51% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding68%Cold waves8%Hurricanes7%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Walden faces

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

Inland flooding

68% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 14 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce 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 Walden flood?

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

5paid claims since 1980

$110Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $14K
Tropical Storm Lee: 1 claim, $9K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Orange County.

Disasters that hit Walden

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WaldenDeclared for Orange County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

29 households applied for aid $121K aid approved $115K to the Village of Walden for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

8 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $68K to the Village of Walden for repairs

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

23 households applied for aid $42K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

126 households applied for aid $365K aid approved $188K to the Village of Walden for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

11 households applied for aid $42K aid approved $12K to the Village of Walden for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $11K aid approved $31K to the Village of Walden for repairs

2003

Snow

$15K to the Village of Walden for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$21K to the Village of Walden for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$24K to the Village of Walden for repairs

Orange County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

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. Walden covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Walden’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Walden. 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 Walden 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.