Natural hazards · Chillicothe

Chillicothe, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chillicothe comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1978. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chillicothe?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chillicothe to be higher than in 36% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding67%Lightning8%Tornadoes8%Heat waves8%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Chillicothe faces

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

Inland flooding

67% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lightning

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windDrought

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 Chillicothe flood?

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

11paid claims since 1978

$60Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 1 claim, $53

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Ross County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

15flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

6storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Chillicothe

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChillicotheDeclared for Ross County only

2019

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

$24K to the City of Chillicothe for repairs

2004

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

97 households applied for aid $119K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

31 households applied for aid $66K aid approved $4K to the City of Chillicothe for repairs

2003

Severe Winter Storm and Record/Near Record Snow

6 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $24K to the City of Chillicothe for repairs

Ross County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Chillicothe

Chillicothe and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Springfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Chillicothemostly inland floodingLow

Sciotomostly inland floodingLow

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. Chillicothe covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chillicothe’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Chillicothe. 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 Chillicothe total about $3.2M 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.