Natural hazards · Laurel

Laurel, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Laurel comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Laurel?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Laurel to be higher than in 58% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding81%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Laurel faces

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

Inland flooding

81% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Laurel flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Hocking County.

Disasters that hit Laurel

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LaurelDeclared for Hocking County only

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$1K to the Township of Laurel for repairs

2003

Severe Winter Storm and Record/Near Record Snow

$2K to the Township of Laurel for repairs

Hocking County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Laurel

Laurel and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Fallsmostly inland floodingHigh

Laurelmostly inland floodingModerate

Bentonmostly inland floodingModerate

Perrymostly inland floodingModerate

Good Hopemostly inland floodingModerate

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. Laurel 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 Laurel’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Laurel. 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.