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Champaign County, Ohio

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
75th of 88highest risk in Ohio
$11Mexpected losses a year
9federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Champaign County, Ohio has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 73% of US counties. It ranks 75th of 88 counties in Ohio. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $272 per resident. Since 1978 it has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (5 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2012 (severe storms and straight-line winds). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (69 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $252,000 on 38 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Champaign County

$6.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
$1.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
$740,623 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 5 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow43.8
$7M
TornadoLow46.4
$1M
Cold waveLow38.6
$741K
EarthquakeVery Low56.2
$454K
Strong windLow32.8
$386K
HailLow55.6
$385K
LightningLow41.9
$205K
DroughtLow50.3
$176K
Ice stormLow58.1
$145K
Heat waveVery Low26.4
$127K
Winter weatherLow51.2
$78K
HurricaneVery Low27.6
$14K
LandslideVery Low51.0
$2K
WildfireVery Low3.4
$1K

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very low and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Champaign County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm6
Snowstorm2
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 20, 2012Severe Storms and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Jun 30, 2012Severe StormsEmergency
Oct 24, 2008Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression IkeMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Feb 15, 2005Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Jan 11, 2005SnowEmergency
Sep 19, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 25, 1995Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 26, 1978Blizzards & SnowstormsEmergency

Ohio also had 3 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1958

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 287 storm reports in Champaign County since 1958, with 1 death and 8 injuries and about $2.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 10, 1973.

8tornadoes
61hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
174damaging thunderstorm winds
38floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 10, 1973F3–0 / 0
Jun 13, 1958F2–0 / 0
Nov 16, 1965F2–4 / 0
Apr 9, 1999F1Middletown0 / 0
Jun 8, 2022EF0Lippincotts0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 9, 1999TornadoMiddletown$300K
Jun 13, 1958Tornado–$250K
Jun 8, 2022TornadoLippincotts$150K
Jun 29, 2012Thunderstorm WindSt Paris$100K
Jun 13, 2022Thunderstorm WindUrbana$100K
Jun 1, 1997Flash FloodCountywide$75K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 4, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Flood insurance in Champaign County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (69 policies)
17.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$252,288paid on 38 flood claims since 1978
1995costliest year, with $58,294 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Champaign County

$204,000median home value (Ohio $214,800, US $332,700)
1969median year homes were built (Ohio 1970, US 1980)
63%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.8%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 16,944 housing units.

Compare in Ohio

All 88 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Franklin CountyHighInland flooding
Cuyahoga CountyHighInland flooding
Hamilton CountyHighInland flooding
Summit CountyModerateInland flooding
Montgomery CountyModerateInland flooding
Lucas CountyModerateInland flooding
Butler CountyModerateInland flooding
Stark CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Clark CountyLow9
Miami CountyLow13
Union CountyVery Low11
Shelby CountyLow13
Logan CountyLow12
Madison CountyVery Low10

Common questions about Champaign County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Champaign County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Champaign County, about $6.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Champaign County had?

Champaign County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1978, including 5 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds in August 2012.

Is Champaign County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 75th highest of 88 in Ohio. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Champaign County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Champaign County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Champaign County had?

NOAA records list 8 tornadoes in Champaign County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 10, 1973. The weather service has also logged 61 hail reports and 38 floods here.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.