Natural hazards · Milton

Milton, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Milton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 161 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Milton?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Milton to be higher than in 82% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding87%Heat waves5%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Milton faces

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

Inland flooding

87% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Milton flood?

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

161paid claims since 1978

$2.7Mpaid to owners

27homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 39 claims, $494K
Heavy rains: 1 claim, $1K
Tropical Storm Ivan: 1 claim, $6K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (6) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cabell County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

24flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Milton

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MiltonDeclared for Cabell County only

2024

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

24 households applied for aid $136K aid approved

2021

Severe Storms and Flooding

17 households applied for aid $53K aid approved

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

20 households applied for aid $25K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

20 households applied for aid $22K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

145 households applied for aid $467K aid approved

2003

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

44 households applied for aid $161K aid approved $7K to the Town of Milton for repairs

2000

Flooding, Severe Storms, and Landslides

$3K to the Town of Milton for repairs

Cabell County has had 25 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. Milton 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 Milton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Milton. 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.