Natural hazards · Orion

Orion, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Orion comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Orion?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Orion to be higher than in 11% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding46%Tornadoes26%Cold waves18%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Orion faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 20% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

26% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Cold waves

18% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Orion flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Orion.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Oakland County.

Disasters that hit Orion

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OrionDeclared for Oakland County only

2023

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $600 aid approved

Oakland County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Orion

Orion and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Auburn Hillsmostly inland floodingVery low

Waterfordmostly inland floodingVery low

Oaklandmostly inland floodingVery low

Independencemostly inland floodingVery low

Rochester Hillsmostly inland floodingVery low

Orionmostly inland floodingVery low

Oxfordmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Orion covers 11 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Orion’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Orion. 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 Orion total about $9.4M 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.