Natural hazards · Abingdon

Abingdon, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Abingdon comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1982. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Abingdon?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Abingdon to be higher than in 10% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding60%Earthquakes17%Strong wind8%Cold waves6%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Abingdon faces

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

Inland flooding

60% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 20% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHeat wavesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Abingdon flood?

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

9paid claims since 1982

$155Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

Heavy rains: 1 claim, $11K

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

Insurance rates: Washington County.

Disasters that hit Abingdon

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AbingdonDeclared for Washington County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

281 households applied for aid $157K aid approved $1.0M to the Town of Abingdon for repairs

Washington County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe 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. Abingdon covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Abingdon’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Abingdon. 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 Abingdon total about $990K 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.