Natural hazards · Cortland

Cortland, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cortland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cortland?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cortland to be higher than in 11% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding60%Tornadoes17%Strong wind9%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Cortland faces

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

Inland flooding

60% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Cortland flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Cortland.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Trumbull County.

Disasters that hit Cortland

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CortlandDeclared for Trumbull County only

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

70 households applied for aid $110K aid approved

2003

Tornadoes, Flooding, Severe Storms, and High Winds

61 households applied for aid $106K aid approved

Trumbull County has had 9 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and tornadoes.

Around Cortland

Cortland and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Fowlermostly inland floodingLow

Johnstonmostly inland floodingVery low

Bazettamostly inland floodingVery low

Cortlandmostly inland floodingVery low

Meccamostly 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. Cortland covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cortland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Cortland. 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 Cortland total about $1.3M 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.