Natural hazards · Wilmington

Wilmington, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wilmington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1992. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wilmington?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wilmington to be higher than in 61% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and avalanches.

Inland flooding59%Avalanches25%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Wilmington faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Avalanches

25% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 30 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Wilmington flood?

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

3paid claims since 1992

$17Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19922026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $13K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Essex County.

Disasters that hit Wilmington

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WilmingtonDeclared for Essex County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$7K to the Town of Wilmington for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

14 households applied for aid $10K aid approved $56K to the Town of Wilmington for repairs

2011

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

$177K to the Town of Wilmington for repairs

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

Around Wilmington

Wilmington and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Jaymostly inland floodingHigh

Black Brookmostly inland floodingHigh

Wilmingtonmostly inland floodingHigh

St. Armandmostly inland floodingHigh

Keenemostly inland floodingModerate

North Elbamostly 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. Wilmington covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wilmington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Wilmington. 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 Wilmington total about $1.9M 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.