Natural hazards · Ohio

Ohio, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ohio comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2007. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ohio?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding42%Tornadoes16%Strong wind9%Hail7%Cold waves7%Heat waves6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Ohio faces

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

Inland flooding

42% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Hail

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Ohio flood?

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

3paid claims since 2007

$97Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20072026

Biggest named events

Thunderstorms: 3 claims, $97K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Franklin County.

Disasters that hit Ohio

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OhioDeclared for Franklin County only

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

$23K to the Township of Ohio for repairs

2005

Severe Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, and Flooding

$21K to the Township of Ohio for repairs

Franklin County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and tornadoes.

Around Ohio

Ohio and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Ohiomostly inland floodingModerate

Homewoodmostly inland floodingModerate

Richmondmostly inland floodingModerate

Williamsburgmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Ohio covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ohio’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Ohio. 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 Ohio total about $3.8M 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.