Tompkins County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Tompkins County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Tompkins County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, hurricane, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 25 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. Tompkins County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1970, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (6), flood (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2003 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2001 | Other | West Nile Virus |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 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 | 22.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 86.2 | 16 | 0 | $277K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 42.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 47.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 59 | 2 | 0 | $54K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 64.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 45.4 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 44.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 26.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 62.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 33.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 62.4 | 2 | 0 | $15K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 62.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 58.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 36.4 | — | — | — |
| 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
Tompkins County ranks in the 39th 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 | 39th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 33rd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 2nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 58th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 91st | 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 | 10th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 10th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 76.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 25 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 9 in 2016–20 vs 16 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 Tompkins County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Tompkins County, New York are inland flooding, hurricane, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Tompkins County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Tompkins County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Tompkins County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Tompkins County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Tompkins County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Tioga County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Schuyler County, NY has the lowest (Very Low). Tompkins County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Tompkins County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Tompkins 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. Tompkins County's composite score of 74 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 74% of US counties.