Natural hazards · Worthington

Worthington, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Worthington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 40 claims here since 1979. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Worthington?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Worthington to be higher than in 11% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding55%Cold waves13%Tornadoes12%Heat waves8%Earthquakes7%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Worthington faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Worthington flood?

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

40paid claims since 1979

$271Kpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19792026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Worthington 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Worthington

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WorthingtonDeclared for Franklin County only

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$19K to the City of Worthington for repairs

2008

Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike

$195K to the City of Worthington for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$29K to the City of Worthington for repairs

2004

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

5 households applied for aid

2004

Snow

$23K to the City of Worthington for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

3 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2003

Tornadoes, Flooding, Severe Storms, and High Winds

1 household applied for aid $1K aid approved

2003

Severe Winter Storm and Record/Near Record Snow

$19K to the City of Worthington for repairs

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

Around Worthington

Worthington and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Riverleamostly inland floodingModerate

Perrymostly inland floodingLow

Sharonmostly inland floodingVery low

Worthingtonmostly 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. Worthington covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Worthington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Worthington. 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 Worthington total about $3.4M 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.