Photo: Andre Carrotflower · CC BY-SA 4.0On FEMA’s figures, few U.S. towns expect less hazard damage per building than Wilson, mostly from river and rain flooding
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Wilson gets an A+ for hazard risk: among the lowest expected damage per building of U.S. towns. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (86%). Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2012.
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
What Wilson 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
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.
What’s behind Wilson’s grade
River and rain flooding is 86% of the building damage FEMA expects in Wilson, and Wilson’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is lower than 93% of U.S. census tracts.
A+ among the lowest expected damage per building of U.S. towns (21,298).
All of Wilson’s residents live in one census tract; the figures are that tract’s.
In dollars, FEMA expects about $163K a year in losses across Wilson: $131K to buildings, the rest to people and crops.
Does Wilson flood? Rarely: 1 flood claim since 2012
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Wilson, from FEMA’s records: 1.5 per 1,000 homes, fewer than 69% of the 13,809 U.S. towns with a flood insurance record.
- Hurricane Sandy1 claim · $54K
Wilson isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Niagara County.2 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Wilson
Disasters that paid out in Wilson itself (aid to households or repair grants to the Village of Wilson), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.
- 2011Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-line Winds$10K to the Village of Wilson for repairs
- 1999Snow$4K to the Village of Wilson for repairs
Niagara County has had 20 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.
Old photos of Wilson after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Wilson archive →Wilson and its neighbors
Wilson has the lowest expected damage per building of the 2 graded towns here. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson | A+among the lowest damage | river and rain flooding | 1 |
| Wilson | A+less damage than 96% | river and rain flooding | — |
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.
Get ready for what Wilson faces
A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.
- 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.
- 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.
Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.
Questions about natural hazards in Wilson
Is Wilson at risk for natural disasters?
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Wilson has among the lowest expected damage per building of U.S. towns: A+ for hazard risk. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (86%). The figures are for the one census tract the town shares with its neighbors. This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.
Does Wilson flood?
Flood insurance has paid 1 claim in Wilson since 2012, $54K in all, or 1.5 per 1,000 homes, fewer than 69% of U.S. towns with a flood insurance record. The most claims came from Hurricane Sandy (1).
Is Wilson 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 Niagara 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 Wilson?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Wilson’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 Wilson?
By FEMA money that reached Wilson, Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-line Winds (2011): $10K to the Village of Wilson for repairs. By flood claims, Hurricane Sandy: 1 paid, $54K.
Is Wilson at risk from river and rain flooding?
It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (86%), and Wilson’s rate for it is lower than 93% of U.S. census tracts.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Wilson.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Wilson’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.