Natural hazards · Union

Union, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Union comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 27 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Union?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Union to be higher than in 64% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding49%Earthquakes17%Tornadoes10%Heat waves9%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Union faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Heat waves

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce 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 Union flood?

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

27paid claims since 1979

$2.4Mpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Late spring severe storms: 5 claims, $454K
Early winter storms: 3 claims, $997K
Not a named storm: 2 claims, $69K

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. Union isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Franklin County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

18flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Union

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into UnionDeclared for Franklin County only

2025

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

8 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

10 households applied for aid $67K aid approved

2015

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

63 households applied for aid $479K aid approved $98K to the City of Union for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $34K aid approved $22K to the City of Union for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

22 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2000

Severe Thunderstorms and Flash Flooding

$492K to the City of Union for repairs

Franklin County has had 21 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. Union covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Union’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Union. 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 Union total about $2.3M 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.