Natural hazards · Louisa

Louisa, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Louisa comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2019. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Louisa?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Louisa to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding85%Heat waves7%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Louisa faces

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

Inland flooding

85% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Louisa flood?

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

1paid claims since 2019

$2Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20192026

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. Louisa isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Lawrence County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Louisa

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LouisaDeclared for Lawrence County only

2025

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

14 households applied for aid $162K aid approved $221K to the City of Louisa for repairs

2021

Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

49 households applied for aid $146K aid approved $21K to the City of Louisa for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, and Mudslides

$109K to the City of Louisa for repairs

2018

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$10K to the City of Louisa for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

102 households applied for aid $165K aid approved

2012

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

478 households applied for aid $553K aid approved

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

60 households applied for aid $80K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides

61 households applied for aid $112K aid approved

2003

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

71 households applied for aid $147K aid approved

2003

Severe Winter Ice and Snow Storms, Heavy Rain, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Mud and

59 households applied for aid $173K aid approved

Lawrence County has had 44 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. Louisa 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 Louisa’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Louisa. 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.