Natural hazards · Elyria

Elyria, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elyria comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 1978. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Elyria?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elyria to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding68%Tornadoes11%Cold waves8%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Elyria faces

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

Inland flooding

68% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Elyria flood?

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

7paid claims since 1978

$74Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Late winter storms: 2 claims, $20K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Lorain County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Elyria

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElyriaDeclared for Lorain County only

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

94 households applied for aid $105K aid approved

Lorain County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Elyria

Elyria and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Carlislemostly inland floodingLow

Elyriamostly inland floodingLow

Amherstmostly inland floodingLow

North Ridgevillemostly inland floodingVery low

Sheffieldmostly inland floodingVery low

Eatonmostly inland floodingVery low

Elyriamostly inland floodingVery low

Sheffieldmostly 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. Elyria covers 13 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Elyria’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Elyria. 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 Elyria total about $10.2M 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.