New York County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
New York County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Hurricane Henri in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
New York County's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, strong wind, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 31 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (73rd 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. New York County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1965, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (8), snowstorm (3), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Henri |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 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 | 9.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very High | 99.2 | 20 | 0 | $114.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 77.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 96.9 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 99.6 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 89.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 96.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 93.7 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 99.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 99 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 88.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 98.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 94 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 26.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
New York County ranks in the 73rd 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 | 73rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 63rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 10th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 89th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 98th | 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 | 14th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 14th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 0.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 31 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 15 in 2021–25 (-6% — relatively stable).
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 New York County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in New York County, New York are heat wave, strong wind, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has New York County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. New York County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (8 declarations).
Has New York County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for New York County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Hurricane Henri in 2021.
How does New York County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Kings County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Hudson County, NJ has the lowest (Relatively High). New York County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is New York County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
New York 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. New York County's composite score of 99 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 99% of US counties.