Natural hazards · Spencer

Spencer, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Spencer comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 37 claims here since 1997. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Spencer?

81
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Spencer to be higher than in 81% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding87%Everything else13%
By hazard

What Spencer 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 94% 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 Spencer flood?

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

37paid claims since 1997
$817Kpaid to owners
4homes flooded more than once
19972026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Spencer isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Roane County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

19flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
4homes raised above flood level
Disasters that hit Spencer

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SpencerDeclared for Roane County only
2024

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

102 households applied for aid $537K aid approved
2016

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

16 households applied for aid $24K aid approved
2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$471K to the City of Spencer for repairs
2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

22 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $19K to the City of Spencer for repairs
2012

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$50K to the City of Spencer for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$9K to the City of Spencer for repairs
2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

12 households applied for aid $22K aid approved
2003

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

110 households applied for aid $87K aid approved $26K to the City of Spencer for repairs
2000

Flooding, Severe Storms, and Landslides

$36K to the City of Spencer for repairs
Roane County has had 22 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. Spencer 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 Spencer’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Spencer. 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01