Natural hazards · Van Buren

Van Buren, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Van Buren 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 Van Buren?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Van Buren to be higher than in 19% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding59%Cold waves14%Tornadoes12%Heat waves8%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Van Buren faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

14% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Buren flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Wayne County.

Disasters that hit Van Buren

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Van BurenDeclared for Wayne County only

2023

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

Wayne County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Van Buren

Van Buren and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Ypsilantimostly inland floodingLow

Sumptermostly inland floodingLow

Van Burenmostly inland floodingVery low

Cantonmostly inland floodingVery low

Romulusmostly 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. Van Buren covers 12 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Van Buren’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Van Buren. 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 Buren total about $7.0M 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.