Natural hazards · Richmond Heights

Richmond Heights, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Richmond Heights comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Richmond Heights?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Richmond Heights to be higher than in 65% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and heat waves.

Inland flooding33%Heat waves28%Earthquakes25%Hail5%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Richmond Heights faces

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

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

28% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

25% of expected damage

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

Hail

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Richmond Heights flood?

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

10paid claims since 1978

$107Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Late July Flooding: 1 claim, $16K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Richmond Heights 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.

Disasters that hit Richmond Heights

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Richmond HeightsDeclared for St. Louis County only

2025

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

4 households applied for aid $291K to the City of Richmond Heights for repairs

2025

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

1 household applied for aid

2022

Severe Storms and Flooding

16 households applied for aid $49K aid approved

2015

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

3 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and a Tornado

1 household applied for aid

2006

Severe Winter Storms

$24K to the City of Richmond Heights for repairs

2006

Severe Storms

$24K to the City of Richmond Heights for repairs

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

Around Richmond Heights

Richmond Heights and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

St. Louismostly heat wavesHigh

Brentwoodmostly inland floodingHigh

Maplewoodmostly inland floodingHigh

Laduemostly inland floodingHigh

Richmond Heightsmostly inland floodingHigh

Claytonmostly earthquakesModerate

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. Richmond Heights covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Richmond Heights’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Richmond Heights. 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 Richmond Heights total about $8.4M 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.