Mahoning County, Ohio
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 88.1 | $27M | ||
| Tornado | 91.2 | $7M | ||
| Hail | 94.8 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 93.1 | $2M | ||
| Heat wave | 78.4 | $1M | ||
| Lightning | 92.1 | $1M | ||
| Earthquake | 73.3 | $822K | ||
| Ice storm | 83.6 | $455K | ||
| Hurricane | 68.5 | $433K | ||
| Cold wave | 31.5 | $375K | ||
| Winter weather | 85.8 | $243K | ||
| Wildfire | 48.6 | $36K | ||
| Landslide | 28.0 | $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
Most recent
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 5, 1956 | F3 | – | 0 / 2 |
| Mar 1, 1955 | F3 | – | 6 / 1 |
| Apr 19, 1963 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 16, 1976 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 27, 1987 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 27, 2003 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $8M |
| Sep 25, 1994 | Hail | S Portion | $5M |
| Sep 4, 2022 | Flash Flood | Southern Airways Arp | $5M |
| Jul 5, 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Austintown | $4M |
| May 28, 2019 | Flash Flood | Poland | $3M |
| Jul 5, 2026 | Flash Flood | Cornersburg | $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 ›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
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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Stark County | 10 | |
| Trumbull County | 9 | |
| Portage County | 9 | |
| Mercer County, PA | 11 | |
| Columbiana County | 16 | |
| Lawrence County, PA | 10 |
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.