Natural hazards · Clayton

Clayton, DE natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Clayton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2011. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Clayton?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Clayton to be higher than in 32% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding49%Cold waves17%Hurricanes15%Earthquakes5%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Clayton faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

17% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Clayton flood?

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

1paid claims since 2011

$7Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20112026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $7K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Kent County.

Disasters that hit Clayton

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ClaytonDeclared for Kent County only

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$7K to the Town of Clayton for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$7K to the Town of Clayton for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$14K to the Town of Clayton for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

4 households applied for aid $735 aid approved $4K to the Town of Clayton for repairs

2003

Snow

$14K to the Town of Clayton for repairs

Kent County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter 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. Clayton covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Clayton’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Clayton. 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 Clayton 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.