Miami County, Ohio
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Miami County, Ohio has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 61% of US counties. It ranks 37th of 88 counties in Ohio. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $29 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $266 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (tornadoes). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (268 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.3 million on 150 claims here, including $927,000 for floods in 2014.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Miami 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 whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 70.1 | $17M | ||
| Tornado | 75.4 | $4M | ||
| Earthquake | 80.4 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 57.2 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 76.0 | $1M | ||
| Lightning | 72.6 | $710K | ||
| Hail | 68.6 | $684K | ||
| Ice storm | 78.0 | $456K | ||
| Heat wave | 41.7 | $323K | ||
| Winter weather | 65.6 | $144K | ||
| Drought | 32.3 | $42K | ||
| Hurricane | 33.5 | $24K | ||
| Wildfire | 21.0 | $11K | ||
| Landslide | 42.6 | $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 Miami County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 13
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 414 storm reports in Miami County since 1955, with 1 death and 10 injuries and about $20.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on May 27, 2019 near Potsdam.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 2019 | EF3 | Potsdam | 1 / 0 |
| Jun 8, 2022 | EF2 | West Milton | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 14, 2024 | EF2 | Bradford | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 8, 1961 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 22, 1959 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 2019 | Tornado | Potsdam | $10M |
| Jun 3, 1989 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 21, 2014 | Flash Flood | Tipp City | $1M |
| Jun 8, 2022 | Tornado | West Milton | $1M |
| Mar 14, 2024 | Tornado | Bradford | $750K |
| Jan 11, 2020 | Tornado | Troy | $500K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 27, 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 Miami 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 Miami 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; 47,226 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | 11 | |
| Clark County | 9 | |
| Darke County | 11 | |
| Shelby County | 13 | |
| Champaign County | 9 |
Cities in Miami County
Common questions about Miami County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Miami County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Miami County, about $17.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $4.1 million.
How many federal disasters has Miami County had?
Miami County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Tornadoes in May 2024.
Is Miami County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 37th 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 Miami County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 143 homes in Miami 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 Miami County had?
NOAA records list 35 tornadoes in Miami County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on May 27, 2019 near Potsdam. The weather service has also logged 80 hail reports and 50 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.