Natural hazards · Kent

Kent, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Kent comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1978. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Kent?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Kent to be higher than in 22% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding70%Tornadoes9%Hail5%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Kent faces

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

Inland flooding

70% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Hail

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce 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 Kent flood?

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

4paid claims since 1978

$18Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Portage County.

Disasters that hit Kent

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into KentDeclared for Portage County only

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

62 households applied for aid $68K aid approved $83K to the City of Kent for repairs

2003

Tornadoes, Flooding, Severe Storms, and High Winds

139 households applied for aid $180K aid approved $41K to the City of Kent for repairs

Portage County has had 8 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and tornadoes.

Around Kent

Kent and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Franklinmostly inland floodingLow

Kentmostly inland floodingLow

Stowmostly inland floodingVery low

Tallmadgemostly inland floodingVery low

Brimfieldmostly 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. Kent covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Kent’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Kent. 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 Kent total about $5.7M 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.