Natural hazards · Payson

Payson, AZ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Payson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1993. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Payson?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Payson to be higher than in 28% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and wildfires.

Inland flooding62%Wildfire19%Lightning7%Heat waves6%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Payson faces

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

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Wildfire

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Lightning

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailWinter weatherEarthquakesLandslidesStrong wind

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce stormsCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Payson flood?

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

3paid claims since 1993

$7Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19932026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Gila County.

Disasters that hit Payson

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PaysonDeclared for Gila County only

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$3K to the Town of Payson for repairs

Gila County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

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. Payson covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Payson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Payson. 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 Payson total about $1.8M 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.