Fairfield County, Ohio
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Fairfield County, Ohio has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 73% of US counties. It ranks 21st of 88 counties in Ohio. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $39 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $245 per resident. Since 1968 it has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 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 (414 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.9 million on 311 claims here, including $1.2 million for floods in 2008.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Fairfield County
- 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.
- 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.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 81.8 | $27M | ||
| Tornado | 71.6 | $3M | ||
| Heat wave | 79.3 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 76.6 | $1M | ||
| Hail | 82.9 | $1M | ||
| Lightning | 81.9 | $994K | ||
| Drought | 77.4 | $982K | ||
| Ice storm | 88.3 | $976K | ||
| Cold wave | 38.0 | $758K | ||
| Earthquake | 57.2 | $490K | ||
| Winter weather | 80.5 | $267K | ||
| Landslide | 87.0 | $48K | ||
| Hurricane | 29.5 | $17K | ||
| Wildfire | 26.3 | $14K |
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 Fairfield County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 11
Ohio also had 3 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1961
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 510 storm reports in Fairfield County since 1961, with 2 deaths and 20 injuries and about $6.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 10, 1973.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 1973 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 16, 1971 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 11, 1965 | F1 | – | 2 / 0 |
| Dec 26, 1973 | F1 | – | 4 / 0 |
| Sep 14, 1978 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 1996 | Flash Flood | Buckeye Lake | $1M |
| Jun 21, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $500K |
| Apr 11, 1965 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Dec 26, 1973 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Sep 14, 1978 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Mar 13, 1982 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 21, 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.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1888, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Fairfield County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 50 mph about 61 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Fairfield County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Fairfield County
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; 64,036 housing units.
Compare in Ohio
All 88 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | Inland flooding | |
| Cuyahoga County | Inland flooding | |
| Hamilton County | Inland flooding | |
| Summit County | Inland flooding | |
| Montgomery County | Inland flooding | |
| Lucas County | Inland flooding | |
| Butler County | Inland flooding | |
| Stark County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 19 | |
| Licking County | 19 | |
| Pickaway County | 13 | |
| Perry County | 18 | |
| Hocking County | 16 |
Cities in Fairfield County
Common questions about Fairfield County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Fairfield County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Fairfield County, about $26.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $3.3 million.
How many federal disasters has Fairfield County had?
Fairfield County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1968, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds in August 2012.
Is Fairfield County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 21st 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 Fairfield County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Fairfield 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 Fairfield County had?
NOAA records list 24 tornadoes in Fairfield County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 10, 1973. The weather service has also logged 114 hail reports and 80 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Fairfield County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Fairfield County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with winds near 50 mph.
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.