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Mercer County, Ohio

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

Very Low overall risk
73rd of 88highest risk in Ohio
$18Mexpected losses a year
12federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Mercer County, Ohio has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 68% of US counties. It ranks 73rd of 88 counties in Ohio. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $18 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $423 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (tornadoes). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (56 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.3 million on 96 claims here.

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

Top risks in Mercer County

$9.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
$1.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 490 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow42.1
$9M
TornadoModerate67.0
$4M
EarthquakeLow73.8
$2M
Strong windLow48.9
$941K
HailLow64.1
$769K
Cold waveLow30.4
$759K
LightningLow25.8
$162K
Ice stormLow45.1
$119K
Heat waveVery Low17.4
$83K
HurricaneVery Low38.9
$49K
Winter weatherLow28.3
$48K
WildfireVery Low6.5
$4K
LandslideVery Low20.9
$225

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 Mercer County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm6
Tornado3
Snowstorm1
Flood1
Hurricane1

Most recent

May 2, 2024TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 18, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslideMajor disaster
Jun 30, 2012Severe StormsEmergency
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Feb 15, 2005Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Sep 19, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 15, 2003Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 25, 1995Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 4, 1992Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 10, 1989Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 12
Jan 26, 1978Blizzards & SnowstormsEmergency
Apr 14, 1965Tornadoes & Severe StormsMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1959

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 389 storm reports in Mercer County since 1959, with 3 deaths and 50 injuries and about $47.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 11, 1965.

29tornadoes
74hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
195damaging thunderstorm winds
88floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 11, 1965F4–24 / 2
May 27, 2019EF3Durbin8 / 1
Nov 5, 2017EF2Padua0 / 0
Nov 5, 2017EF2Celina8 / 0
Jun 18, 2021EF2Ft Recovery0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 27, 2019TornadoDurbin$15M
Nov 5, 2017TornadoPadua$11M
Nov 5, 2017TornadoCelina$5M
Apr 11, 1965Tornado–$3M
Jun 1, 1980Tornado–$3M
Jul 8, 2003Flash FloodRockford$2M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 3, 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 Mercer County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (56 policies)
10.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1.3 millionpaid on 96 flood claims since 1978
2019costliest year, with $327,329 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 Mercer County

$210,600median home value (Ohio $214,800, US $332,700)
1974median year homes were built (Ohio 1970, US 1980)
59%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
6.2%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; 18,103 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
Darke CountyLow11
Shelby CountyLow13
Auglaize CountyVery Low11
Adams County, INLow15
Van Wert CountyVery Low11
Jay County, INVery Low14

Common questions about Mercer County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Mercer County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Mercer County, about $9.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $4 million.

How many federal disasters has Mercer County had?

Mercer County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Tornadoes in May 2024.

Is Mercer County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 73rd 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 Mercer County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Mercer 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 Mercer County had?

NOAA records list 29 tornadoes in Mercer County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 11, 1965. The weather service has also logged 74 hail reports and 88 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.