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Utica, New York skylinePhoto: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
AHazard risk
Natural hazards in Utica · FEMA

FEMA expects less hazard damage per building in Utica than in 91% of U.S. towns, mostly from river and rain flooding

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Utica gets an A for hazard risk: lower expected damage per building than 91% of U.S. towns, #159 of 758 in New York. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (86%). Flood insurance has paid 44 claims here since 1979.

River and rain flooding 86%Earthquakes 4%Strong wind 4%

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 91%of U.S. townsLess damageMoreExpected yearly damage per dollar of building, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade#159 of 758 in New York
Hazard risk
A#159 of 758
in New York · lower than 91% of U.S. towns
Main hazard
River and rain flooding
86% of expected building damage
Flood claims
44
paid since 1979 · $509K
Flooded more than once
6
properties
Disasters paid out here
13
of 21 declared for Oneida County

What stands out about Utica’s natural hazards

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

Lower expected damage than 91% of U.S. townsFEMA’s model of yearly storm and flood damage per dollar of building.Remembers 19797 flood claims were paid for 1979 alone, the most of any year.
By hazard

What Utica 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

86%of expected building damage
Below average · lower than 68% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area
Smaller shares here
 Earthquakes Strong wind Hurricanes Ice storms Tornadoes Winter storms Hail Lightning Wildfire 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 14% of Utica’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 Utica’s grade

River and rain flooding is 86% of the building damage FEMA expects in Utica, and Utica’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is lower than 68% of U.S. census tracts.

Where Utica sits
Utica
Least damageMiddleMost damage

A #159 of 758 in New York; lower expected damage per building than 91% of U.S. towns (21,298).

Utica’s residents live in 26 census tracts; FEMA’s figures are combined by where they live.

What drives the damage to buildings
River and rain flooding86%Earthquakes4%Strong wind4%Everything else6%

The typical New York town has lower expected damage than 69% of U.S. towns; within the state, Utica has less expected damage per building than 79% of New York towns.

In dollars, FEMA expects about $10.3M a year in losses across Utica: $7.1M to buildings, the rest to people and crops.

A firm figure. It combines 26 census tracts by where Utica’s 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 Utica flood? Sometimes: 44 flood claims since 1979

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Utica, from FEMA’s records: 1.6 per 1,000 homes, fewer than 68% of the 13,809 U.S. towns with a flood insurance record.

Paid flood claims, by year
1979: 7 claims1980: 2 claims1981: 5 claims1982: 0 claims1983: 2 claims1984: 5 claims1985: 2 claims1986: 0 claims1987: 0 claims1988: 0 claims1989: 0 claims1990: 0 claims1991: 0 claims1992: 0 claims1993: 0 claims1994: 0 claims1995: 0 claims1996: 0 claims1997: 0 claims1998: 0 claims1999: 2 claims2000: 3 claims2001: 0 claims2002: 0 claims2003: 0 claims2004: 0 claims2005: 0 claims2006: 0 claims2007: 1 claim2008: 1 claim2009: 0 claims2010: 0 claims2011: 5 claims2012: 0 claims2013: 0 claims2014: 0 claims2015: 0 claims2016: 0 claims2017: 3 claims2018: 0 claims2019: 6 claims2020: 0 claims2021: 0 claims2022: 0 claims2023: 0 claims2024: 0 claims2025: 0 claims2026: 0 claims197919812019
19792026
Biggest named events
  • Hurricane Gloria2 claims · $3K
  • Tropical Storm Lee1 claim · $8K
  • Hurricane Irene1 claim · $12K
44
paid claims since 1979
$509K
paid to owners
6
homes flooded more than once
$12K
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

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

Insurance rates: Oneida County.
Disasters

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Utica

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

  1. 2019Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding$777K to the City of Utica for repairs6 flood claims paid that year
  2. 2017Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm$102K to the City of Utica for repairs3 flood claims paid that year
  3. 2013Severe Storms and Flooding$48K to the City of Utica for repairs
  4. 2011Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee64 households applied for aid$104K aid approved$183K to the City of Utica for repairs1 flood claim paid for it, $8K
  5. 2011Hurricane Irene2 households applied for aid$3K aid approved1 flood claim paid for it, $12K
  6. 2011Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-line Winds$510K to the City of Utica for repairs
Show all 13
  1. 2007Record Snow and Near Record Snow$51K to the City of Utica for repairs1 flood claim paid that year
  2. 2006Severe Storms and Flooding68 households applied for aid$49K aid approved
  3. 2004Severe Storms and Flooding3 households applied for aid$4K aid approved
  4. 2004Snow$53K to the City of Utica for repairs
  5. 2003Ice Storm37 households applied for aid$31K aid approved$24K to the City of Utica for repairs
  6. 2002Snowstorms$78K to the City of Utica for repairs
  7. 2000Severe Storms and Flooding$441K to the City of Utica for repairs3 flood claims paid that year
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in UticaOneida County only

Oneida County has had 21 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often winter storms, then severe storms. 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 Utica after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the Utica archive →
Next door

Utica and its neighbors

Utica is 4th of the 10 graded towns here, from least expected damage per building to most. Tap a town to see its hazards.

New Hartford: hazard risk A−Marcy: hazard risk A+Frankfort: hazard risk BDeerfield: hazard risk A+New Hartford: hazard risk BWhitestown: hazard risk B+New York Mills: hazard risk AYorkville: hazard risk BSchuyler: hazard risk ANew HartfordMarcyFrankfortDeerfieldNew HartfordWhitestownNew York MillsYorkvilleSchuylerUtica
Lowest fifthSecondMiddleFourthHighest fifth
TownHazard riskMostly (buildings)Flood claims
MarcyA+among the lowest damageriver and rain flooding2
DeerfieldA+among the lowest damageriver and rain flooding12
SchuylerAless damage than 93%river and rain flooding3
UticaAless damage than 91%river and rain flooding44
New York MillsAless damage than 85%river and rain flooding33
New HartfordA−less damage than 80%river and rain flooding33
WhitestownB+less damage than 68%river and rain flooding14
New HartfordBless damage than 64%river and rain flooding—
YorkvilleBless damage than 60%river and rain flooding21
FrankfortBless damage than 56%river and rain flooding4

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 Utica 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 ↗
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 Utica

Is Utica at risk for natural disasters?

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Utica has lower expected damage per building than 91% of U.S. towns: A for hazard risk, #159 of 758 in New York. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (86%). This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.

Does Utica flood?

Flood insurance has paid 44 claims in Utica since 1979, $509K in all, or 1.6 per 1,000 homes, fewer than 68% of U.S. towns with a flood insurance record. 6 properties have flooded more than once. The most claims came from Hurricane Gloria (2).

Is Utica 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 Oneida County, 20% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 0.6% of all homes do.

How much is flood insurance in Utica?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Utica’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 Utica?

By FEMA money that reached Utica, Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding (2019): $777K to the City of Utica for repairs. By flood claims, Hurricane Gloria: 2 paid, $3K.

Is Utica at risk from river and rain flooding?

It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (86%), and Utica’s rate for it is lower than 68% of U.S. census tracts.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Utica.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Utica’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.