Natural hazards · Norton

Norton, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Norton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 24 claims here since 1982. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Norton?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Norton to be higher than in 22% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding62%Cold waves19%Earthquakes6%Strong wind5%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Norton faces

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

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHeat wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Norton flood?

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

24paid claims since 1982

$191Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

Late July Flooding: 2 claims, $7K
Hurricane Helene: 1 claim, $20K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: the county.

Disasters that hit Norton

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NortonDeclared for the county only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

11 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$61K to the City of Norton for repairs

2003

Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snowfall, Heavy Rain,floodind, and Mudslide

44 households applied for aid $75K aid approved $25K to the City of Norton for repairs

2002

Severe Storms and Flooding

$78K to the City of Norton for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storms

$5K to the City of Norton for repairs

the county has had 12 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. Norton covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Norton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Norton. 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 Norton total about $1.1M 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.