Natural hazards · Reading

Reading, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Reading comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Reading?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Reading to be higher than in 10% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding52%Drought15%Tornadoes9%Lightning6%Heat waves5%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Reading faces

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

Inland flooding

52% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 21% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Drought

15% of expected damage

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 68 years in the area

Lightning

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong wind

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 Reading flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Perry County.

Disasters that hit Reading

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ReadingDeclared for Perry County only

2003

Severe Winter Storm and Record/Near Record Snow

$2K to the Township of Reading for repairs

Perry County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Reading

Reading and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Richlandmostly inland floodingModerate

Rush Creekmostly inland floodingModerate

Hopewellmostly inland floodingLow

Jacksonmostly inland floodingLow

Thornmostly inland floodingLow

Claytonmostly inland floodingVery low

Readingmostly 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. Reading covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Reading’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Reading. 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 Reading total about $591K 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.