Delaware County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Delaware County has experienced 39 federally declared disasters since 1965, 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.
Delaware 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 21% 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. Delaware County has been designated in 39 declarations since 1965, covering 9 disaster types including severe storm (15), flood (7), snowstorm (5).
| 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 |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 39 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 18.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 91.2 | 46 | 0 | $6.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 50.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 21.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 55.6 | 2 | 0 | $100K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 76.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 38.1 | 16 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 51.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 72.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 42.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 69.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 49.1 | 1 | 0 | $5K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 90 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 69.3 | — | — | — |
| 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
Delaware County ranks in the 51st 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 | 51st | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 53rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 49th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 27th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 58th | 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 | 11th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 11th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 86.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 64 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 29 in 2016–20 vs 35 in 2021–25 (+21% — 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 Delaware County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Delaware County, New York are inland flooding, landslide, and hurricane. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Delaware County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Delaware County has received 39 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (15 declarations).
Has Delaware County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Delaware County include Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Delaware County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Ulster County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Schoharie County, NY has the lowest (Very Low). Delaware County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Delaware County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Delaware 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. Delaware County's composite score of 83 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 83% of US counties.