Otsego County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Otsego County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1993, most recently Hurricane Henri in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Otsego County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, cold wave, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 40 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Otsego County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1993, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (12), hurricane (4), snowstorm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Henri |
| 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 | Severe Storm | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 total declarations since 1993.
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 | 85.8 | 26 | 0 | $432K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 47.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 19 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 46.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 64.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 32 | 14 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 54 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 70.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 45 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 85.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 49.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 77.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 36.7 | — | — | — |
| 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
Otsego County ranks in the 33rd 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 | 33rd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 34th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 10th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 31st | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 68th | 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 | 8th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 8th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 81.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 40 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 7 in 2016–20 vs 33 in 2021–25 .
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 Otsego County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Otsego County, New York are inland flooding, cold wave, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Otsego County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Otsego County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1993, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Otsego County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Otsego County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Hurricane Henri in 2021.
How does Otsego County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Delaware County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Schoharie County, NY has the lowest (Very Low). Otsego County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Otsego County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Otsego 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. Otsego County's composite score of 76 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 76% of US counties.