Natural hazards · Salem

Salem, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Salem comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Salem?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Salem to be higher than in 57% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding44%Heat waves13%Strong wind10%Tornadoes9%Drought8%Hail7%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Salem faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Strong wind

10% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Drought

8% of expected damage

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Hail

7% 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 weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Salem flood?

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

Disasters that hit Salem

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SalemDeclared for Henry County only

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $307 aid approved

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$1K to the City of Salem for repairs

Henry County has had 14 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. Salem 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 Salem’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Salem. 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.