Natural hazards · Independence

Independence, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Independence comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Independence?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Independence to be higher than in 36% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and inland flooding.

Cold waves43%Inland flooding41%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Independence faces

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

Cold waves

43% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHeat wavesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Independence flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Grayson County.

Disasters that hit Independence

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into IndependenceDeclared for Grayson County only

2025

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$18K to the Town of Independence for repairs

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

414 households applied for aid $715K aid approved $85K to the Town of Independence for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

$4K to the Town of Independence for repairs

Grayson County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

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. Independence 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 Independence’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Independence. 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.