Natural hazards · Fairmont

Fairmont, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fairmont comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 44 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Fairmont?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Fairmont to be higher than in 64% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding86%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Fairmont faces

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

Inland flooding

86% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Fairmont flood?

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

44paid claims since 1978

$502Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19782026

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Marion County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

8flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Fairmont

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FairmontDeclared for Marion County only

2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

494 households applied for aid $3.8M aid approved $518K to the City of Fairmont for repairs

2017

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

21 households applied for aid $17K aid approved

2012

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

277 households applied for aid $730K aid approved $30K to the City of Fairmont for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$4K to the City of Fairmont for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and

72 households applied for aid $198K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

106 households applied for aid $329K aid approved

2003

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

$13K to the City of Fairmont for repairs

2000

Flooding, Severe Storms, and Landslides

$19K to the City of Fairmont for repairs

Marion County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. Fairmont covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Fairmont’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Fairmont. 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 Fairmont total about $5.6M 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.