Natural hazards · Chesterland

Chesterland, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chesterland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1986. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chesterland?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chesterland to be higher than in 12% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding71%Strong wind8%Tornadoes8%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Chesterland faces

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

Inland flooding

71% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Chesterland flood?

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

6paid claims since 1986

$272Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19862026

Biggest named events

Late winter storms: 1 claim, $15K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Geauga County.

Disasters that hit Chesterland

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChesterlandDeclared for Geauga County only

2006

Severe Storms, Straight Line Winds, and Flooding

15 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

Geauga County has had 9 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Chesterland

Chesterland and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Gates Millsmostly inland floodingModerate

Russellmostly inland floodingLow

Chesterlandmostly inland floodingVery low

Chestermostly inland floodingVery low

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. Chesterland covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chesterland’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Chesterland. 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 Chesterland total about $2.1M 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.