Natural hazards · Carthage

Carthage, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Carthage comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 21 claims here since 1981. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Carthage?

41
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Carthage to be higher than in 41% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding41%Tornadoes25%Heat waves12%Everything else23%
By hazard

What Carthage faces

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

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

25% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Heat waves

12% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places
Recorded about 16 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Carthage flood?

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

21paid claims since 1981
$348Kpaid to owners
4homes flooded more than once
19812026

Biggest named events

  • Early winter storms: 2 claims, $108K
  • Late spring severe storms: 2 claims, $25K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Carthage isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Jasper County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Carthage

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CarthageDeclared for Jasper County only
2019

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $6K aid approved
2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

51 households applied for aid $283K aid approved
2015

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

37 households applied for aid $287K aid approved $21K to the City of Carthage for repairs
2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

21 households applied for aid $420 aid approved
2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

21 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $45K to the City of Carthage for repairs
2008

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

2 households applied for aid
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

15 households applied for aid $67K aid approved
2007

Severe Winter Storms

$385K to the City of Carthage for repairs
2007

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$32K to the City of Carthage for repairs
2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $14K aid approved
Jasper County has had 19 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. Carthage covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Carthage’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Carthage. 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 Carthage total about $4.7M 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.

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