Natural hazards · Hamilton

Hamilton, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hamilton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1990. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hamilton?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hamilton to be higher than in 60% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding42%Tornadoes25%Cold waves9%Lightning9%Earthquakes6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Hamilton faces

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

Inland flooding

42% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

25% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 13 years in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lightning

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Hamilton flood?

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

5paid claims since 1990

$98Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19902026

Biggest named events

Early winter storms: 3 claims, $83K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Marion County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

56storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Hamilton

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HamiltonDeclared for Marion County only

2015

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

$14K to the City of Hamilton for repairs

2011

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

269 households applied for aid $626K aid approved $68K to the City of Hamilton for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

$15K to the City of Hamilton for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

20 households applied for aid $32K aid approved $9K to the City of Hamilton for repairs

Marion County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

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. Hamilton is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.

Hamilton, AL natural hazards

How exposed is Hamilton?

What Hamilton faces

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Cold waves

Lightning

Earthquakes

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Hamilton flood?

Biggest named events

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

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

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Ivan

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby