Oneida County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Oneida County has experienced 28 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Oneida County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, strong wind, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 18% 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. Oneida County has been designated in 28 declarations since 1972, covering 9 disaster types including severe storm (8), snowstorm (5), flood (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 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 |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
Showing the 10 most recent of 28 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 | 38.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 91.1 | 50 | 0 | $9.9M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 80.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 64.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 71.9 | 11 | 3 | $4.5M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 70.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 42.7 | 24 | 0 | $25K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 93.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 96.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 91 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 87.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 89.1 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 59.3 | 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
Oneida County ranks in the 68th 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 | 68th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 39th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 74th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 52nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 93rd | 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 | 4th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 3rd | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 58.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 83 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 38 in 2016–20 vs 45 in 2021–25 (+18% — 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 Oneida County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Oneida County, New York are winter weather, strong wind, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Oneida County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Oneida County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (8 declarations).
Has Oneida County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Oneida County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm in 2023.
How does Oneida 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 Lewis County, NY has the lowest (Very Low). Oneida County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Oneida County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Oneida 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. Oneida County's composite score of 86 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 86% of US counties.