Interactive tool · FEMA + NOAA data
Natural Disaster Risk Score Calculator
Get a composite 0–100 disaster risk score for any U.S. state or county, built from FEMA disaster declarations, NOAA storm events, property-damage history, and hazard diversity. See our methodology.
New York
High Risk
New York faces above-average natural disaster risk, with frequent FEMA declarations and notable property damage history.
View full state profileThis is PlainHazard's own derived index summarizing historical FEMA and NOAA records, not an official government risk rating. For evacuation planning, insurance decisions, or other personal safety decisions, consult local emergency management, the National Weather Service, or FEMA directly.
Score Breakdown
17 declarations (0.8x state average)
25,737 NOAA storm events (1.7x median state)
$1.1B total damage (1.2x median state)
8 different disaster types declared in New York
FEMA Declarations
17
Storm Events
25,737
Fatalities
225
Total Damage
$1.1B
Hazard Types
8
Top Disaster Types in New York
| Disaster Type | Declarations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | 5 | 29.4% |
| Severe Storm | 3 | 17.6% |
| Tropical Storm | 2 | 11.8% |
| Flood | 2 | 11.8% |
| Winter Storm | 2 | 11.8% |
| Fire | 1 | 5.9% |
| Snowstorm | 1 | 5.9% |
| Biological | 1 | 5.9% |
Top Storm Event Types in New York
| Storm Type | Events | Share | Fatalities | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 9,668 | 37.6% | 6 | $53.9M |
| Winter Weather | 2,891 | 11.2% | 10 | $778.0K |
| Flash Flood | 2,004 | 7.8% | 24 | $677.0M |
| Strong Wind | 1,764 | 6.9% | 4 | $9.4M |
| Winter Storm | 1,561 | 6.1% | 17 | $5.2M |
| High Wind | 1,147 | 4.5% | 5 | $33.9M |
| Heat | 1,032 | 4.0% | 2 | $0 |
| Hail | 975 | 3.8% | 0 | $40.3M |
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the disaster risk score calculated?
The composite score (0-100) combines four factors: FEMA disaster declaration frequency (30 points), storm event density (25 points), property and crop damage history (25 points), and hazard diversity (20 points). Each factor is benchmarked against national medians.
What data sources are used?
The calculator uses FEMA OpenFEMA disaster declarations (1973–2026), and the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015–2025) for severe-weather records. All data comes from official U.S. government sources.
What does the risk level mean?
Low (0-24): Below-average disaster activity. Moderate (25-49): Average disaster exposure. High (50-74): Above-average risk with frequent declarations. Very High (75-100): Among the most disaster-prone areas in the U.S.
Can I look up risk for a specific county?
Yes. Select a state first, then optionally select a county to see county-specific risk analysis. County scores are based on FEMA declarations for that county, compared to national and state averages.
How often is the data updated?
The underlying database includes FEMA disasters through 2026 and NOAA storm events through 2025. The risk scores reflect the full historical record available from each source.
How to use this
This score is a historical-data summary, not a prediction, use it as a starting point for further research, not a final verdict on any one place.
- Score your state first to set a national baseline, then narrow to a specific county for localized detail. Browse states
- A low county score does not guarantee low risk, rare but severe hazards (a single major hurricane or earthquake) can score low on this 2015-2025 window while still posing real long-run exposure.
- Pair this score with FEMA's own National Risk Index rating and your local hazard maps before making insurance or relocation decisions. Read the methodology
This composite score is PlainHazard's own derived index, weighted and combined by us from federal source data, not an official FEMA or NOAA rating.
Data sources: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2026), NOAA Storm Events Database, NFIP Flood Insurance Claims. Risk scores are computed from historical data and do not predict future events. This tool is for informational purposes only.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, this calculator scores against FEMA data covering 2,791 U.S. counties, refreshed as of 2026-07-25. Read our methodology for how the score is computed.
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on FEMA federal disaster data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, or report a data error.