Oneida County, New York
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Oneida County, New York has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 86% of US counties. It ranks 17th of 62 counties in New York. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $55 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $236 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in November 2022 (severe winter storm and snowstorm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (465 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $16 million on 1,069 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Oneida County
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 91.1 | $39M | ||
| Cold wave | 87.5 | $5M | ||
| Tornado | 71.9 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 93.6 | $2M | ||
| Earthquake | 80.1 | $2M | ||
| Lightning | 89.1 | $1M | ||
| Ice storm | 91.0 | $926K | ||
| Winter weather | 96.9 | $868K | ||
| Heat wave | 64.3 | $638K | ||
| Hurricane | 70.1 | $539K | ||
| Hail | 42.7 | $177K | ||
| Wildfire | 38.5 | $21K | ||
| Landslide | 59.3 | $2K |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively moderate and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Oneida County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 24
New York also had 12 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1960
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 1,086 storm reports in Oneida County since 1960, with 8 deaths and 29 injuries and about $137 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 2, 1983.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 1983 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 16, 2024 | EF2 | Rome | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 23, 1990 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 22, 2025 | EF1 | Clark Mills | 0 / 3 |
| Jun 29, 1960 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 27, 2006 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $50M |
| May 2, 1983 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Jul 15, 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $20M |
| Sep 7, 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Verona | $10M |
| Jul 16, 2024 | Tornado | Rome | $4M |
| Sep 7, 2011 | Flash Flood | Utica | $3M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 1, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1876, 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Oneida County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1876, with top winds near 45 mph about 64 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 18, 1876 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 24, 1933 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 59 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 24, 1933 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 18, 1876 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 64 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Oneida County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Oneida County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 105,443 housing units.
Compare in New York
All 62 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Kings County | Inland flooding | |
| Queens County | Inland flooding | |
| New York County | Inland flooding | |
| Suffolk County | Inland flooding | |
| Bronx County | Inland flooding | |
| Nassau County | Inland flooding | |
| Westchester County | Inland flooding | |
| Erie County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Oswego County | 17 | |
| Madison County | 20 | |
| Herkimer County | 21 | |
| Otsego County | 23 | |
| Lewis County | 24 |
Cities in Oneida County
Common questions about Oneida County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Oneida County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Oneida County, about $39.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $5.3 million.
How many federal disasters has Oneida County had?
Oneida County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm in November 2022.
Is Oneida County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 17th highest of 62 in New York. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Oneida County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Oneida County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Oneida County had?
NOAA records list 32 tornadoes in Oneida County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 2, 1983. The weather service has also logged 265 hail reports and 132 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Oneida County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Oneida County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1876, with winds near 45 mph.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.