Natural hazards · Ionia

Ionia, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ionia comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ionia?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ionia to be higher than in 64% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and drought.

Inland flooding43%Drought19%Tornadoes13%Hail10%Cold waves7%Strong wind6%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Ionia faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Drought

19% of expected damage

Recorded about 17 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Hail

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Ionia flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Ionia.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Chickasaw County.

Disasters that hit Ionia

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into IoniaDeclared for Chickasaw County only

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid

1999

Severe Storms and Flooding

$1K to the City of Ionia for repairs

Chickasaw County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms 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. Ionia 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 Ionia’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Ionia. 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.

Ionia, IA natural hazards

How exposed is Ionia?

What Ionia faces

Inland flooding

Drought

Tornadoes

Hail

Cold waves

Strong wind

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Ionia flood?

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Storms and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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