Natural hazards · Hamilton

Hamilton, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hamilton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 16 claims here since 1980. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hamilton?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hamilton to be higher than in 55% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding53%Tornadoes23%Cold waves13%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Hamilton faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage

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

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Hamilton flood?

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

16paid claims since 1980

$143Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

March storm: 3 claims, $52K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Butler County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

6storm safe rooms built

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Hamilton

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HamiltonDeclared for Butler County only

2008

Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike

$1.2M to the City of Hamilton for repairs

2004

Snow

$60K to the City of Hamilton for repairs

2001

Severe Storms and Flooding

$74K to the City of Hamilton for repairs

Butler County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Hamilton

Hamilton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

New Miamimostly inland floodingVery high

St. Clairmostly inland floodingVery high

Rossmostly inland floodingHigh

Hamiltonmostly inland floodingModerate

Fairfieldmostly inland floodingLow

Hanovermostly inland floodingLow

Fairfieldmostly 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. Hamilton covers 14 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hamilton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Hamilton. 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 Hamilton total about $20.9M 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.