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Natural hazards · Olin

Olin, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Olin comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 25 claims here since 1993. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Olin?

78
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Olin to be higher than in 78% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding64%Tornadoes11%Strong wind9%Hail6%Everything else11%
By hazard

What Olin faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 15 years in the area

Strong wind

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Olin flood?

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

25paid claims since 1993
$500Kpaid to owners
3homes flooded more than once
19932026

Biggest named events

  • Midwest Flooding: 2 claims, $1K
  • Storm: 2 claims, $84K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Olin isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Jones County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

13flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Olin

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OlinDeclared for Jones County only
2020

Severe Storms

3 households applied for aid $176 aid approved $18K to the City of Olin for repairs
2014

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

$47K to the City of Olin for repairs
2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$24K to the City of Olin for repairs
2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

3 households applied for aid $352 aid approved $23K to the City of Olin for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

75 households applied for aid $290K aid approved $273K to the City of Olin for repairs
2007

Severe Winter Storms

$8K to the City of Olin for repairs
2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

11 households applied for aid $25K aid approved
2002

Severe Storms and Flooding

$4K to the City of Olin for repairs
1999

Severe Storms and Flooding

$785 to the City of Olin for repairs
1999

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$6K to the City of Olin for repairs
Jones 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. Olin 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 Olin’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Olin. 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.

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