Chenango County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Chenango County has experienced 31 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Chenango County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, landslide, and hurricane, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 16% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Chenango County has been designated in 31 declarations since 1972, covering 9 disaster types including severe storm (12), flood (5), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Henri |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 31 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 26.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 85.6 | 32 | 0 | $2.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 39.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 26.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 46.4 | 1 | 0 | $120K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 66.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 19.3 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 27.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 66.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 60 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 58.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 48.4 | 1 | 0 | $370K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 69.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Chenango County ranks in the 48th percentile (Low) 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 | 48th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 46th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 48th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 12th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 69th | Moderate |
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 | 10th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 9th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 83.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 41 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 19 in 2016–20 vs 22 in 2021–25 (+16% — 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 Chenango County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Chenango County, New York are inland flooding, landslide, and hurricane. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Chenango County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Chenango County has received 31 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Chenango County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Chenango County include Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Chenango County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Broome County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Cortland County, NY has the lowest (Relatively Low). Chenango County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Chenango County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Chenango 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. Chenango County's composite score of 72 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 72% of US counties.