Natural hazards · Springfield

Springfield, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Springfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1978. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Springfield?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Springfield to be higher than in 8% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding60%Earthquakes9%Hurricanes9%Heat waves8%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Springfield 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 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Springfield flood?

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

9paid claims since 1978

$23Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Fairfax County.

Disasters that hit Springfield

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SpringfieldDeclared for Fairfax County only

2003

Hurricane Isabel

44 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

Fairfax County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around Springfield

Springfield and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Springfieldmostly inland floodingLow

North Springfieldmostly inland floodingLow

Newingtonmostly inland floodingVery low

Annandalemostly inland floodingVery low

Kings Parkmostly inland floodingVery low

Lincolniamostly inland floodingVery low

Franconiamostly inland floodingVery low

Springfieldmostly 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. Springfield covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Springfield’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Springfield. 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 Springfield total about $3.6M 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.