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Hurley, NY, town hallPhoto: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 4.0
AHazard risk
Natural hazards in Hurley · FEMA

FEMA expects less hazard damage per building in Hurley than in 89% of U.S. towns, mostly from river and rain flooding

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Hurley gets an A for hazard risk: lower expected damage per building than 89% of U.S. towns, #187 of 758 in New York. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (79%), then hurricanes (11%). Flood insurance has paid 33 claims here since 1981.

River and rain flooding 79%Hurricanes 11%Tornadoes 5%

Graded on FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value (NRI v1.20, December 2025), weighted by where residents live; flood claims are shown, not graded. How hazard risk is graded

less than 89%of U.S. townsLess damageMoreExpected yearly damage per dollar of building, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade#187 of 758 in New York
Hazard risk
A#187 of 758
in New York · lower than 89% of U.S. towns
Main hazard
River and rain flooding
79% of expected building damage
Flood claims
33
paid since 1981 · $980K
Flooded more than once
6
properties
Disasters paid out here
12
of 28 declared for Ulster County

What stands out about Hurley’s natural hazards

From FEMA’s model and FEMA’s records, below.

Lower expected damage than 89% of U.S. townsFEMA’s model of yearly storm and flood damage per dollar of building.Remembers 200513 flood claims were paid for 2005 alone, the most of any year.
By hazard

What Hurley faces

Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.

River and rain flooding

79%of expected building damage
Below average · lower than 71% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

11%of expected building damage
Above average · higher than 78% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once every 17 years in the area
Smaller shares here
 Tornadoes Earthquakes Strong wind Ice storms Wildfire Lightning Hail Winter storms Cold waves Heat waves Landslides
FEMA models no building damage here
Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
People, not buildings.Counting harm to people as well as buildings, FEMA’s model puts cold waves at 10% of Hurley’s expected losses. Cold waves do little damage to buildings (0.0%), so they aren’t part of the grade.

Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Hazard risk grade

What’s behind Hurley’s grade

River and rain flooding is 79% of the building damage FEMA expects in Hurley, and Hurley’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is lower than 71% of U.S. census tracts. Next is hurricanes at 11% (higher than 78% of U.S. census tracts).

Where Hurley sits
Hurley
Least damageMiddleMost damage

A #187 of 758 in New York; lower expected damage per building than 89% of U.S. towns (21,298).

Hurley’s residents live in 2 census tracts; FEMA’s figures are combined by where they live.

What drives the damage to buildings
River and rain flooding79%Hurricanes11%Tornadoes5%Everything else5%

The typical New York town has lower expected damage than 69% of U.S. towns; within the state, Hurley has less expected damage per building than 75% of New York towns.

In dollars, FEMA expects about $1.7M a year in losses across Hurley: $1.1M to buildings, the rest to people and crops.

A small-area figure. Hurley covers 2 census tracts, combined by where residents live. FEMA’s model is an average year for today’s buildings, not a record: the claims and disasters below are the record.

How TownRatings grades hazard risk →

Flood insurance claims

Does Hurley flood? Sometimes: 33 flood claims since 1981

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Hurley, from FEMA’s records: 10.2 per 1,000 homes, more than 74% of the 13,809 U.S. towns with a flood insurance record.

Paid flood claims, by year
1981: 1 claim1982: 0 claims1983: 0 claims1984: 0 claims1985: 0 claims1986: 0 claims1987: 5 claims1988: 0 claims1989: 0 claims1990: 0 claims1991: 0 claims1992: 0 claims1993: 0 claims1994: 0 claims1995: 0 claims1996: 0 claims1997: 0 claims1998: 0 claims1999: 0 claims2000: 0 claims2001: 0 claims2002: 0 claims2003: 0 claims2004: 0 claims2005: 13 claims2006: 0 claims2007: 1 claim2008: 1 claim2009: 0 claims2010: 0 claims2011: 10 claims2012: 0 claims2013: 0 claims2014: 0 claims2015: 0 claims2016: 0 claims2017: 0 claims2018: 1 claim2019: 0 claims2020: 0 claims2021: 0 claims2022: 1 claim2023: 0 claims2024: 0 claims2025: 0 claims2026: 0 claims198720052011
19812026
Biggest named events
  • The Torrential rain13 claims · $605K
  • Hurricane Irene9 claims · $319K
  • Tropical Storm Lee1 claim · $5K
33
paid claims since 1981
$980K
paid to owners
6
homes flooded more than once
$30K
average claim
Homes that flooded again and again
FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0)Flooded 2+ times
of homes in flood zones are insured
of all homes are insured
No community discount

Hurley isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Ulster County.
Disasters

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Hurley

Disasters that paid out in Hurley itself (aid to households or repair grants to the Town of Hurley), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.

  1. 2017Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm$19K to the Town of Hurley for repairs
  2. 2011Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee5 households applied for aid$10K aid approved1 flood claim paid for it, $5K
  3. 2011Hurricane Irene76 households applied for aid$217K aid approved$66K to the Town of Hurley for repairs9 flood claims paid for it, $319K
  4. 2007Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding4 households applied for aid$7K aid approved$106K to the Town of Hurley for repairs1 flood claim paid that year
  5. 2006Severe Storms and Flooding3 households applied for aid$4K aid approved$12K to the Town of Hurley for repairs
  6. 2005Severe Storms and Flooding18 households applied for aid$44K aid approved$121K to the Town of Hurley for repairs13 flood claims paid that year
Show all 12
  1. 2004Tropical Depression Ivan$7K to the Town of Hurley for repairs
  2. 2004Severe Storms and Flooding1 households applied for aid$6K aid approved$63K to the Town of Hurley for repairs
  3. 2003Snow$18K to the Town of Hurley for repairs
  4. 2002Snowstorms$39K to the Town of Hurley for repairs
  5. 2000Severe Storms and Flooding$30K to the Town of Hurley for repairs
  6. 1999Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations$19K to the Town of Hurley for repairs
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in HurleyUlster County only

Ulster County has had 28 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms, then floods. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees; the 2001 World Trade Center declarations.

Were you here?

Old photos of Hurley after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the Hurley archive →
Next door

Hurley and its neighbors

Hurley has the lowest expected damage per building of the 6 graded towns here. Tap a town to see its hazards.

Ulster: hazard risk B+Woodstock: hazard risk C+Marbletown: hazard risk A−Olive: hazard risk BWest Hurley: not gradedZena: not gradedRosendale: hazard risk B−Shokan: not gradedUlsterWoodstockMarbletownOliveWest HurleyZenaRosendaleShokanHurley
Lowest fifthSecondMiddleFourthHighest fifth
TownHazard riskMostly (buildings)Flood claims
HurleyAless damage than 89%river and rain flooding33
MarbletownA−less damage than 77%river and rain flooding14
UlsterB+less damage than 74%river and rain flooding178
OliveBless damage than 57%river and rain flooding26
RosendaleB−less damage than 54%river and rain flooding33
WoodstockC+more damage than 59%river and rain flooding43
West Hurley—a Census area inside a town; graded with the town
Zena—997 residents; we grade 1,000+
Shokan—a Census area inside a town; graded with the town

Hazard risk = FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade; the map is shaded by fifths of the same scale. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.

Be ready

Get ready for what Hurley faces

A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.

When the river rises
  • Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
  • Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
  • Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Hurricane season
  • The season runs June through November and peaks from mid-August to mid-October.
  • Bring in porch furniture and anything the wind can throw.
  • Fill the gas tank and charge phones before the storm arrives.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Before you buy or rent
  • Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
  • Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
  • Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
When a storm is coming
Forecast and alertsWeather →911, the nearest ERSafety →

Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.

Questions about natural hazards in Hurley

Is Hurley at risk for natural disasters?

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Hurley has lower expected damage per building than 89% of U.S. towns: A for hazard risk, #187 of 758 in New York. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (79%) and hurricanes (11%). This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.

Does Hurley flood?

Flood insurance has paid 33 claims in Hurley since 1981, $980K in all, or 10.2 per 1,000 homes, more than 74% of U.S. towns with a flood insurance record. 6 properties have flooded more than once. The most claims came from Torrential rain (13).

Is Hurley in a flood zone?

Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Ulster County, 26% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 1.3% of all homes do.

How much is flood insurance in Hurley?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Hurley’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.

What was the biggest storm in Hurley?

By FEMA money that reached Hurley, Hurricane Irene (2011): 76 households applied for aid, $217K approved, and $66K to the Town of Hurley for repairs. By flood claims, Torrential rain: 13 paid, $605K.

Is Hurley at risk from river and rain flooding?

It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (79%), and Hurley’s rate for it is lower than 71% of U.S. census tracts.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Hurley.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Hurley’s residents lived in the 2020 census; OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.