Natural hazards · West Jefferson

West Jefferson, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West Jefferson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is West Jefferson?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding67%Tornadoes12%Earthquakes6%Everything else15%

By hazard

What West Jefferson faces

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

Inland flooding

67% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 37% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 57 years in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 West Jefferson flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Madison County.

Disasters that hit West Jefferson

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in West Jefferson itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Village of West Jefferson.

Brought FEMA money into West JeffersonDeclared for Madison County only

2008

Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike

$12K to the Village of West Jefferson for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$7K to the Village of West Jefferson for repairs

2004

Snow

$5K to the Village of West Jefferson for repairs

2003

Severe Winter Storm and Record/Near Record Snow

$4K to the Village of West Jefferson for repairs

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

Around West Jefferson

West Jefferson and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lake Darbymostly inland floodingHigh

Brownmostly inland floodingModerate

Jeffersonmostly inland floodingLow

Prairiemostly inland floodingLow

West Jeffersonmostly 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. West Jefferson 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 West Jefferson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of West Jefferson. 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.