Natural hazards · Springfield

Springfield, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Springfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 18 claims here since 1978. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Springfield?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Springfield to be higher than in 35% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding68%Tornadoes11%Cold waves5%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Springfield faces

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

Inland flooding

68% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 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 Springfield flood?

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

18paid claims since 1978

$128Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19782026

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. Springfield isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Clark County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4storm safe rooms built

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Springfield

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SpringfieldDeclared for Clark County only

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$89K to the City of Springfield for repairs

2008

Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike

$281K to the City of Springfield for repairs

2004

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

61 households applied for aid $30K aid approved

2004

Snow

$85K to the City of Springfield for repairs

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

Around Springfield

Springfield and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Springfieldmostly inland floodingLow

Mad Rivermostly inland floodingLow

Germanmostly inland floodingLow

Northridgemostly inland floodingLow

Moorefieldmostly 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. Springfield covers 21 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Springfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Springfield. 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 Springfield total about $13.6M 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.