Natural hazards · Van Lear

Van Lear, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Van Lear comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 40 claims here since 1984. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Van Lear?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Van Lear to be higher than in 99% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding92%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Van Lear faces

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

Inland flooding

92% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Van Lear flood?

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

40paid claims since 1984

$699Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19842026

Biggest named events

Heavy rains: 9 claims, $238K
Storm: 3 claims, $22K
February Kentucky Flooding: 2 claims, $79K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Johnson County.

Disasters that hit Van Lear

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Van Lear itself: aid to households, or repair grants to Van Lear.

Brought FEMA money into Van LearDeclared for Johnson County only

2025

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

36 households applied for aid $433K aid approved

2022

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid

2021

Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

20 households applied for aid $48K aid approved

2015

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

3 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2012

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

10 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides

152 households applied for aid $540K aid approved

2003

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

1 household applied for aid $1K aid approved

2003

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

14 households applied for aid $42K aid approved

Johnson 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. Van Lear covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Van Lear’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Van Lear. 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 Van Lear total about $5.1M 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.