Cortland County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cortland County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Cortland County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, landslide, and hurricane, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 86% 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. Cortland County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1976, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (5), flood (4), hurricane (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1976.
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 | 9.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 71.9 | 31 | 0 | $917K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 39.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 23.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 37.4 | 2 | 0 | $52K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 59.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 32.9 | 8 | 0 | $2K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 32.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 57.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 58.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 36.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 37.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 65.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 32.7 | — | — | — |
| 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
Cortland County ranks in the 37th 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 | 37th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 42nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 3rd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 27th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 84th | 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 | 8th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 8th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 62.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 40 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 26 in 2021–25 (+86% — 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 Cortland County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cortland 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 Cortland County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cortland County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Cortland County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cortland County include Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1976.
How does Cortland County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Onondaga County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Madison County, NY has the lowest (Relatively Low). Cortland County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Cortland County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cortland 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. Cortland County's composite score of 51 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 51% of US counties.