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Natural hazards · Nelsonville

Nelsonville, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Nelsonville comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 21 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Nelsonville?

89
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Nelsonville to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding88%Everything else12%
By hazard

What Nelsonville faces

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

Inland flooding

88% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 98% 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 Nelsonville flood?

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

21paid claims since 1979
$91Kpaid to owners
2homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Tropical Storm Ivan: 2 claims, $6K
  • Not a named storm: 1 claim, $120

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. Nelsonville isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Athens County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

28flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Nelsonville

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NelsonvilleDeclared for Athens County only
2019

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

$211K to the City of Nelsonville for repairs
2018

Severe Storms, Landslides, and Mudslides

$226K to the City of Nelsonville for repairs
2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$18K to the City of Nelsonville for repairs
2004

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

28 households applied for aid $49K aid approved $74K to the City of Nelsonville for repairs
2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

33 households applied for aid $75K aid approved $6K to the City of Nelsonville for repairs
2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$22K to the City of Nelsonville for repairs
2003

Severe Winter Storm and Record/Near Record Snow

$8K to the City of Nelsonville for repairs
Athens County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Nelsonville

Nelsonville and the towns around it

Buchtel: Very high, mostly inland floodingYork: Very high, mostly inland floodingWard: Very high, mostly inland floodingWaterloo: Very low, mostly inland floodingDover: Very high, mostly inland floodingStarr: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGreen: High, mostly inland floodingTrimble: Very high, mostly inland floodingCoal: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNelsonville: Very high, mostly inland flooding NelsonvilleBuchtelYorkWard
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Nelsonvillemostly inland floodingVery high
Buchtelmostly inland floodingVery high
Yorkmostly inland floodingVery high
Wardmostly inland floodingVery high
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. Nelsonville 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 Nelsonville’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Nelsonville. 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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