Natural hazards · Oxford

Oxford, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Oxford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 17 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Oxford?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Oxford to be higher than in 62% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding55%Tornadoes30%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Oxford faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

30% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Oxford flood?

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

17paid claims since 1979

$89Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 3 claims, $7K
Hurricane Opal: 2 claims, $16K
Hurricane Zeta: 1 claim, $8K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Calhoun County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

15storm safe rooms built

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Oxford

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OxfordDeclared for Calhoun County only

2021

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

5 households applied for aid

2020

Hurricane Zeta

$55K to the City of Oxford for repairs

2018

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

8 households applied for aid

2017

Hurricane Irma

$3K to the City of Oxford for repairs

2011

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

25 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

8 households applied for aid $13K to the City of Oxford for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

28 households applied for aid $65K aid approved

Calhoun County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Oxford

Oxford and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Oxfordmostly inland floodingHigh

Hobson Citymostly inland floodingModerate

Annistonmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Oxford covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Oxford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Oxford. 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 Oxford total about $5.8M 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.