Natural hazards · Wheelwright

Wheelwright, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wheelwright comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1998. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wheelwright?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding87%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Wheelwright faces

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

Inland flooding

87% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Wheelwright flood?

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

3paid claims since 1998

$15Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19982026

Biggest named events

Late July Flooding: 2 claims, $13K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Floyd County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Wheelwright

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WheelwrightDeclared for Floyd County only

2025

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

39 households applied for aid $268K aid approved $91K to the City of Wheelwright for repairs

2022

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

50 households applied for aid $220K aid approved $13K to the City of Wheelwright for repairs

2021

Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

6 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding and Mudslides

31 households applied for aid $36K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides

33 households applied for aid $38K aid approved

2003

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

58 households applied for aid $65K aid approved $6K to the City of Wheelwright for repairs

2003

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

29 households applied for aid $52K aid approved $2K to the City of Wheelwright for repairs

2001

Severe Storms and Flooding

$80K to the City of Wheelwright for repairs

Floyd County has had 43 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. Wheelwright covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wheelwright’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Wheelwright. 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 Wheelwright total about $1.9M 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.