Natural hazards · Ferguson

Ferguson, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ferguson comes from heat waves, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 283 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ferguson?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ferguson to be higher than in 62% of U.S. communities, mostly from heat waves and inland flooding.

Heat waves37%Inland flooding30%Earthquakes17%Cold waves6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Ferguson faces

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

Heat waves

37% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 17% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Ferguson flood?

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

283paid claims since 1978

$4.6Mpaid to owners

35homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ike: 57 claims, $1.4M
Late July Flooding: 45 claims, $1.7M
Early winter storms: 5 claims, $17K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: St. Louis County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Ferguson

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FergusonDeclared for St. Louis County only

2025

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

10 households applied for aid $13K aid approved

2025

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

4 households applied for aid $13K aid approved

2022

Severe Storms and Flooding

294 households applied for aid $677K aid approved $365K to the City of Ferguson for repairs

2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $307 aid approved

2015

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

30 households applied for aid $58K aid approved

2013

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

$536K to the City of Ferguson for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

154 households applied for aid $130K aid approved $355K to the City of Ferguson for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and a Tornado

88 households applied for aid $236K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2006

Severe Winter Storms

$21K to the City of Ferguson for repairs

2006

Severe Storms

$142K to the City of Ferguson for repairs

St. Louis County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Ferguson

Ferguson and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Jenningsmostly heat wavesHigh

Cool Valleymostly inland floodingHigh

Dellwoodmostly heat wavesHigh

Florissantmostly heat wavesHigh

Fergusonmostly heat wavesHigh

Kinlochmostly inland floodingModerate

Normandymostly earthquakesModerate

Berkeleymostly heat wavesModerate

Calverton Parkmostly heat wavesLow

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. Ferguson covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ferguson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Ferguson. 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 Ferguson total about $13.6M 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.