Natural hazards · Van Wert

Van Wert, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Van Wert comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Van Wert?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Van Wert to be higher than in 23% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding48%Tornadoes19%Strong wind14%Earthquakes7%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Van Wert faces

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

Inland flooding

48% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 27% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Strong wind

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightning

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 Van Wert flood?

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

12paid claims since 1978

$11Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19782026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Van Wert County.

Disasters that hit Van Wert

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Van WertDeclared for Van Wert County only

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$36K to the City of Van Wert for repairs

2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $511 aid approved

2002

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

127 households applied for aid $75K aid approved

Van Wert County has had 10 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Van Wert

Van Wert and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Ridgemostly inland floodingLow

Van Wertmostly inland floodingLow

Pleasantmostly 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. Van Wert covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Van Wert’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Van Wert. 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 Van Wert total about $3.1M 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.