Natural hazards · Empire

Empire, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Empire comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1996. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Empire?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Empire to be higher than in 49% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding84%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Empire faces

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

Inland flooding

84% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Empire flood?

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

8paid claims since 1996

$30Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 3 claims, $12K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jefferson County.

Disasters that hit Empire

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into EmpireDeclared for Jefferson County only

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

10 households applied for aid $13K aid approved $10K to the Village of Empire for repairs

Jefferson County has had 18 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. Empire is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Empire’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Empire. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.