Natural hazards · Fairhope

Fairhope, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fairhope comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 111 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Fairhope?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Fairhope to be higher than in 93% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes74%Inland flooding16%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Fairhope faces

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

Hurricanes

74% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

16% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 40% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

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

Flood insurance claims

Does Fairhope flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Fairhope, from FEMA’s records.

111paid claims since 1978

$5.1Mpaid to owners

14homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Katrina: 30 claims, $3.8M
Hurricane Georges: 18 claims, $301K
Hurricane Ivan: 9 claims, $226K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Fairhope isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Baldwin County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

30homes raised above flood level

7buildings retrofitted against wind

6flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Fairhope

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Fairhope itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Fairhope.

Brought FEMA money into FairhopeDeclared for Baldwin County only

2020

Hurricane Sally

3,553 households applied for aid $2.9M aid approved $10.9M to the City of Fairhope for repairs

2017

Hurricane Nate

$490K to the City of Fairhope for repairs

2014

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

491 households applied for aid $632K aid approved $573K to the City of Fairhope for repairs

2012

Hurricane Isaac

$23K to the City of Fairhope for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes & Straight-Line

$60K to the City of Fairhope for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

$12K to the City of Fairhope for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

1,319 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $3.4M to the City of Fairhope for repairs

2005

Hurricane Dennis

148 households applied for aid $38K aid approved $182K to the City of Fairhope for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

2,160 households applied for aid $2.2M aid approved $3.8M to the City of Fairhope for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

132 households applied for aid $344K aid approved

2002

Tropical Storm Isidore

$119K to the City of Fairhope for repairs

Baldwin County has had 31 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Fairhope

Fairhope and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Point Clearmostly hurricanesVery high

Daphnemostly hurricanesVery high

Fairhopemostly hurricanesVery high

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Fairhope covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Fairhope’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Fairhope. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Fairhope total about $5.5M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); 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. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.