Natural hazards · Wales

Wales, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wales comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1979. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wales?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wales to be higher than in 47% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding81%Cold waves10%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Wales faces

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

Inland flooding

81% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 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 Wales flood?

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

1paid claims since 1979

$2Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Erie County.

Disasters that hit Wales

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WalesDeclared for Erie County only

2014

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$5K to the Town of Wales for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storm

$6K to the Town of Wales for repairs

2000

Snow

$2K to the Town of Wales for repairs

1999

Snow

$3K to the Town of Wales for repairs

Erie County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.

Around Wales

Wales and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Walesmostly inland floodingModerate

Hollandmostly inland floodingModerate

Marillamostly inland floodingModerate

Benningtonmostly inland floodingLow

Auroramostly inland floodingLow

Sheldonmostly 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. Wales covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wales’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Wales. 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 Wales total about $942K 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.