Natural hazards · Gratis

Gratis, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Gratis comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Gratis?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Gratis to be higher than in 40% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding49%Tornadoes25%Strong wind10%Cold waves7%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Gratis 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

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

25% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 36 years in the area

Strong wind

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Gratis flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Gratis.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Preble County.

Disasters that hit Gratis

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GratisDeclared for Preble County only

2008

Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike

$6K to the Township of Gratis for repairs

2004

Snow

$4K to the Township of Gratis for repairs

2003

Severe Winter Storm and Record/Near Record Snow

$3K to the Township of Gratis for repairs

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

Around Gratis

Gratis and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Germanmostly inland floodingHigh

Somersmostly inland floodingHigh

Madisonmostly inland floodingModerate

Laniermostly inland floodingModerate

Gratismostly inland floodingModerate

Waynemostly 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. Gratis covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Gratis’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Gratis. 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 Gratis total about $1.4M 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.