Natural hazards · Berea

Berea, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Berea comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 26 claims here since 2010. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Berea?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Berea to be higher than in 34% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding57%Tornadoes14%Cold waves12%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Berea faces

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

Inland flooding

57% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Berea flood?

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

26paid claims since 2010

$362Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

20102026

Biggest named events

Central U.S. April Flooding: 2 claims, $9K
February Kentucky Flooding: 1 claim, $37K
Late July Flooding: 1 claim, $14K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Berea is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Madison County.

Disasters that hit Berea

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BereaDeclared for Madison County only

2025

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

1 household applied for aid

2021

Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

15 households applied for aid $23K aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, and Mudslides

$58K to the City of Berea for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

9 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

48 households applied for aid $129K aid approved $16K to the City of Berea for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Tornadoes

131 households applied for aid $405K aid approved $23K to the City of Berea for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$229K to the City of Berea for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and Tornadoes

13 households applied for aid $46K aid approved

Madison County has had 25 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. Berea covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Berea’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Berea. 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 Berea total about $5.4M 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.