Orleans County Disaster Risk

Orleans County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 18th percentile nationally out of 3,144 counties. This composite score reflects the county's overall exposure to natural hazards including floods, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes, weighted by expected annual loss and social vulnerability.

Orleans County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: hurricane (52th percentile), flooding (40th percentile), earthquake (37th percentile), tornado (22th percentile), wildfire (12th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is hurricane at the 52th percentile nationally. These scores are derived from FEMA's National Risk Index, which analyzes expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience for each hazard type.

Orleans County's composite risk percentile is 18th, compared to the New York state average of 69th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Relatively Low. This means Orleans County faces lower natural disaster risk than the typical county in New York.

Yes, Orleans County's hurricane risk is at the 52th percentile nationally. This is above the national median. For flooding specifically, Orleans County is at the 40th percentile.

FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) calculates risk scores for 18 natural hazard types across all U.S. counties and census tracts. The composite score combines Expected Annual Loss (estimated dollar losses from each hazard), Social Vulnerability (demographic factors affecting disaster impact), and Community Resilience (ability to recover). Percentile scores rank each county against all 3,144 U.S. counties, and risk ratings range from Very Low to Very High.

Orleans County's composite risk score of 18th percentile is below the New York state average of 69th percentile, indicating relatively lower exposure to natural hazards. However, no county is completely risk-free. The primary hazard type is hurricane at the 52th percentile. Residents should still maintain emergency preparedness plans and appropriate insurance coverage.