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Mahoning County, Ohio

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
11th of 88highest risk in Ohio
$43Mexpected losses a year
10federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Mahoning County, Ohio has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 84% of US counties. It ranks 11th of 88 counties in Ohio. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and hail. FEMA estimates about $43 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $186 per resident. Since 1978 it has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2019 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding, landslides and mudslide). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (143 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.8 million on 305 claims here.

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

Top risks in Mahoning County

$27 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.
$6.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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.

Hail

High
$2.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate88.1
$27M
TornadoHigh91.2
$7M
HailHigh94.8
$2M
Strong windHigh93.1
$2M
Heat waveLow78.4
$1M
LightningHigh92.1
$1M
EarthquakeLow73.3
$822K
Ice stormHigh83.6
$455K
HurricaneLow68.5
$433K
Cold waveLow31.5
$375K
Winter weatherHigh85.8
$243K
WildfireVery Low48.6
$36K
LandslideVery Low28.0
$215

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 relatively high 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 Mahoning County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm6
Tornado2
Snowstorm1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Jun 18, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslideMajor disaster
Jun 30, 2012Severe StormsEmergency
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 19, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 3, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 1, 2003Tornadoes, Flooding, Severe Storms, and High WindsMajor disaster
Jul 15, 2003Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 4, 1992Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 6, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 26, 1978Blizzards & SnowstormsEmergency

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

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 470 storm reports in Mahoning County since 1955, with 6 deaths and 35 injuries and about $49.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on August 5, 1956.

19tornadoes
126hail reports, largest 2 inches
297damaging thunderstorm winds
24floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Aug 5, 1956F3–0 / 2
Mar 1, 1955F3–6 / 1
Apr 19, 1963F2–0 / 0
Feb 16, 1976F2–0 / 0
Jun 27, 1987F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 27, 2003Flash FloodCountywide$8M
Sep 25, 1994HailS Portion$5M
Sep 4, 2022Flash FloodSouthern Airways Arp$5M
Jul 5, 2026Thunderstorm WindAustintown$4M
May 28, 2019Flash FloodPoland$3M
Jul 5, 2026Flash FloodCornersburg$3M

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.

Flood insurance in Mahoning County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (143 policies)
43.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2.8 millionpaid on 305 flood claims since 1978
2003costliest year, with $566,527 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 Mahoning County

$154,700median home value (Ohio $214,800, US $332,700)
1963median year homes were built (Ohio 1970, US 1980)
76%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
1.6%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; 107,990 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
Stark CountyModerate10
Trumbull CountyModerate9
Portage CountyLow9
Mercer County, PALow11
Columbiana CountyLow16
Lawrence County, PALow10

Cities in Mahoning County

Common questions about Mahoning County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Mahoning County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Mahoning County, about $27 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $6.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Mahoning County had?

Mahoning County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1978, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslide in June 2019.

Is Mahoning County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 11th 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 Mahoning County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Mahoning 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 Mahoning County had?

NOAA records list 19 tornadoes in Mahoning County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on August 5, 1956. The weather service has also logged 126 hail reports and 24 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.