Natural hazards · Calhoun

Calhoun, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Calhoun comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 28 claims here since 1984. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Calhoun?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Calhoun to be higher than in 86% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding50%Earthquakes21%Strong wind7%Tornadoes5%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Calhoun faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Calhoun flood?

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

28paid claims since 1984

$369Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19842026

Biggest named events

Central U.S. April Flooding: 7 claims, $168K
Mid-spring storms: 3 claims, $21K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: McLean County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

13flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Calhoun

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CalhounDeclared for McLean County only

2025

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

85 households applied for aid $872K aid approved

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

32 households applied for aid $44K aid approved $24K to the City of Calhoun for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$21K to the City of Calhoun for repairs

2008

Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike

$10K to the City of Calhoun for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$16K to the City of Calhoun for repairs

2003

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

1 household applied for aid

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

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. Calhoun 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 Calhoun’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Calhoun. 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.