Natural hazards · Salem

Salem, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Salem comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 638 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Salem?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Salem to be higher than in 43% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding81%Strong wind5%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Salem faces

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

Inland flooding

81% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Salem flood?

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

638paid claims since 1978

$18.6Mpaid to owners

98homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 107 claims, $4.1M
Hurricane Michael: 29 claims, $1.7M
Hurricane Fran: 11 claims, $533K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (37) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Salem 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

35flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

6buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Salem

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SalemDeclared for the county only

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$134K to the City of Salem for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding From the Remanants of Hurricane Jeanne

348 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved

2003

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

146 households applied for aid $989K aid approved $95K to the City of Salem for repairs

the county has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around Salem

Salem and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Salemmostly inland floodingModerate

Roanokemostly inland floodingLow

Glenvarmostly inland floodingVery low

Cave Springmostly 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. Salem covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Salem’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Salem. 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 Salem total about $9.0M 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.