Natural hazards · Fayette

Fayette, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fayette comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2026. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Fayette?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Fayette to be higher than in 21% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding34%Tornadoes25%Heat waves14%Cold waves12%Earthquakes6%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Fayette faces

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

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

25% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 30 years in the area

Heat waves

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Fayette flood?

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

1paid claims since 2026

$46Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20262026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Howard County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Fayette

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FayetteDeclared for Howard County only

2021

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

$558K to the City of Fayette for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$10K to the City of Fayette for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $7K to the City of Fayette for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $762 to the City of Fayette for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

38 households applied for aid $31K aid approved $51K to the City of Fayette for repairs

2002

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$2K to the City of Fayette for repairs

Howard County has had 24 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. Fayette covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Fayette’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Fayette. 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 Fayette total about $2.0M 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.