Schuyler County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Schuyler County has experienced 15 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Schuyler County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hurricane, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Schuyler County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1970, covering 7 disaster types including flood (4), severe storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2003 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2003 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2001 | Other | West Nile Virus |
| 2001 | Fire | Fires And Explosions |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 total declarations since 1970.
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 | 6.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 39.1 | 7 | 0 | $107K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 19.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 20.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 22.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 57.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 42.6 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 15.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 9.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 54.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 11.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 28.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 66.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 53.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 37.3 | — | — | — |
| 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
Schuyler County ranks in the 32nd 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 | 32nd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 43rd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 13th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 12th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 55th | 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 | 14th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 14th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 82.7% | — |
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 Schuyler County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Schuyler County, New York are drought, hurricane, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Schuyler County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Schuyler County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 declarations).
Has Schuyler County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Schuyler County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Schuyler County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Steuben County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Seneca County, NY has the lowest (Very Low). Schuyler County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Schuyler County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Schuyler 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. Schuyler County's composite score of 16 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 16% of US counties.