Natural hazards · Shepherdstown

Shepherdstown, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Shepherdstown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Shepherdstown?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Shepherdstown to be higher than in 36% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding73%Everything else27%

By hazard

What Shepherdstown faces

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

Inland flooding

73% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Shepherdstown flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Shepherdstown.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jefferson County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Shepherdstown

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ShepherdstownDeclared for Jefferson County only

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$11K to the Town of Shepherdstown for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$6K to the Town of Shepherdstown for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and

1 household applied for aid

2003

Hurricane Isabel

$4K to the Town of Shepherdstown for repairs

2003

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

$8K to the Town of Shepherdstown for repairs

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

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