Natural hazards · Williamstown

Williamstown, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Williamstown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 52 claims here since 1979. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Williamstown?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Williamstown to be higher than in 60% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding86%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Williamstown 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 82% 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 Williamstown flood?

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

52paid claims since 1979

$866Kpaid to owners

10homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 9 claims, $243K
Not a named storm: 4 claims, $13K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Wood County.

Disasters that hit Williamstown

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WilliamstownDeclared for Wood County only

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

6 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

38 households applied for aid $91K aid approved

Wood County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Williamstown

Williamstown and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Mariettamostly inland floodingHigh

Williamstownmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Williamstown covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Williamstown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Williamstown. 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 Williamstown total about $1.3M 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.