Natural hazards · Elgin

Elgin, OK natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elgin comes from tornadoes, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2020. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Elgin?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elgin to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from tornadoes and inland flooding.

Tornadoes28%Inland flooding20%Cold waves19%Strong wind9%Wildfire7%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Elgin faces

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

Tornadoes

28% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

20% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Wildfire

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Elgin flood?

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

2paid claims since 2020

$155Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20202026

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

Insurance rates: Comanche County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

34storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Elgin

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElginDeclared for Comanche County only

2021

Severe Winter Storms

6 households applied for aid

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

36 households applied for aid $205K aid approved

2010

Severe Winter Storm

$41K to the City of Elgin for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$3K to the City of Elgin for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $3K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

18 households applied for aid $27K aid approved

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$36K to the City of Elgin for repairs

Comanche County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and ice storms.

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. Elgin covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Elgin’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Elgin. 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 Elgin total about $1.2M 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.