Natural hazards · Chester

Chester, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chester comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1980. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chester?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chester to be higher than in 63% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding88%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Chester faces

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

Inland flooding

88% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Chester flood?

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

4paid claims since 1980

$47Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 2 claims, $42K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Hancock County.

Disasters that hit Chester

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChesterDeclared for Hancock County only

2024

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

6 households applied for aid $17K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

26 households applied for aid $29K aid approved $14K to the City of Chester for repairs

2003

Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snow, Heavy Rains, Flooding and Landslides

$4K to the City of Chester for repairs

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

Around Chester

Chester and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Chestermostly inland floodingHigh

Newellmostly inland floodingModerate

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