Broome County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Broome County has experienced 30 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Broome County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, winter weather, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 48% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (72nd percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Broome County has been designated in 30 declarations since 1970, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (9), flood (8), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Henri |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2017 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
Showing the 10 most recent of 30 total declarations since 1970.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 36.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 93.2 | 94 | 0 | $2.8M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 68.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 70.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 83.6 | 3 | 0 | $60K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 77.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 49.1 | 56 | 0 | $20.1M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 55.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 90.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 74.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 71.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 84.3 | 6 | 0 | $46K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 75.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 20.6 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Broome County ranks in the 72nd percentile (Moderate) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 72nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 62nd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 52nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 51st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 90th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 11th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 10th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 50.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 156 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 63 in 2016–20 vs 93 in 2021–25 (+48% — frequency increasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Broome County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Broome County, New York are inland flooding, winter weather, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Broome County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Broome County has received 30 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 declarations).
Has Broome County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Broome County include Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1970.
How does Broome County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Tompkins County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Cortland County, NY has the lowest (Relatively Low). Broome County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Broome County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Broome County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Broome County's composite score of 88 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 88% of US counties.