Herkimer County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Herkimer County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Herkimer County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, landslide, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 106 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (28th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Herkimer County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1974, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (9), flood (5), snowstorm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 total declarations since 1974.
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 | 25.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 78.5 | 76 | 1 | $3.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 51.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 33.1 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 38.6 | 4 | 0 | $19K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 62.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 19.7 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 26.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 73.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 66.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 38.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 51.6 | 2 | 0 | $1K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 77.6 | 4 | 0 | $5K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 28.4 | — | — | — |
| 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
Herkimer County ranks in the 28th 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 | 28th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 21st | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 26th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 18th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 64th | 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 | 3rd | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 3rd | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 66.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 106 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 56 in 2016–20 vs 50 in 2021–25 (-11% — frequency decreasing).
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 Herkimer County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Herkimer County, New York are inland flooding, landslide, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Herkimer County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Herkimer County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 declarations).
Has Herkimer County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Herkimer County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Herkimer County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Oneida County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Hamilton County, NY has the lowest (Very Low). Herkimer County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Herkimer County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Herkimer 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. Herkimer County's composite score of 60 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 60% of US counties.