Natural hazards · Upper Arlington

Upper Arlington, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Upper Arlington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 37 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 Upper Arlington?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Upper Arlington to be higher than in 26% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding63%Cold waves12%Tornadoes10%Heat waves7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Upper Arlington faces

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

Inland flooding

63% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Upper Arlington flood?

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

37paid claims since 1979

$228Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19792026

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

Insurance rates: Franklin County.

Disasters that hit Upper Arlington

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Upper ArlingtonDeclared for Franklin County only

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$131K to the City of Upper Arlington for repairs

2008

Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike

$178K to the City of Upper Arlington for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$59K to the City of Upper Arlington for repairs

2004

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid $1K aid approved $1K to the City of Upper Arlington for repairs

2004

Snow

$40K to the City of Upper Arlington for repairs

2003

Tornadoes, Flooding, Severe Storms, and High Winds

3 households applied for aid $220 aid approved

2003

Severe Winter Storm and Record/Near Record Snow

$31K to the City of Upper Arlington for repairs

Franklin County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Upper Arlington

Upper Arlington and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Marble Cliffmostly inland floodingModerate

Norwichmostly inland floodingLow

Upper Arlingtonmostly inland floodingLow

Perrymostly inland floodingLow

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. Upper Arlington covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Upper Arlington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Upper Arlington. 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 Upper Arlington total about $10.2M 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.