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Franklin City, Virginia

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

Very Low overall risk
113th of 133highest risk in Virginia
$3Mexpected losses a year
12federal declarations
1 in 125homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Franklin City, Virginia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 92% of US counties. It ranks 113th of 133 counties in Virginia. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $3.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $370 per resident. Since 1993 it has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 20 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $5.0 million on 106 claims here, including $3.9 million for floods in 2006.

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

Top risks in Franklin City

$1.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 years.
  • Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
  • Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • 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

Very Low
$174,517 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 210 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HurricaneLow78.8
$1M
Inland floodingVery Low11.8
$1M
TornadoVery Low19.9
$175K
Heat waveVery Low34.5
$131K
EarthquakeVery Low36.5
$93K
Strong windVery Low14.0
$87K
Cold waveVery Low11.6
$77K
LightningVery Low13.4
$35K
Winter weatherLow40.6
$35K
Ice stormVery Low25.8
$18K
HailVery Low8.0
$18K
WildfireVery Low2.1
$605
Coastal floodingVery Low16.6
$2
LandslideVery Low0.9
$1

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 relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Franklin City. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane8
Snowstorm2
Severe Storm1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 23, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Oct 15, 2018Hurricane FlorenceMajor disaster
Sep 11, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Nov 2, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Oct 29, 2012Hurricane SandyEmergency
Sep 3, 2011Hurricane IreneMajor disaster
Sep 12, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 18, 2003Hurricane IsabelMajor disaster
Feb 28, 2000Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Sep 18, 1999Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsMajor disaster
Show all 12
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm)Major disaster
Mar 25, 1993Severe Winter StormEmergency

Virginia also had 6 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1984

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 74 storm reports in Franklin City since 1984 and about $5.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF0 tornado on September 26, 2008 near Franklin.

1tornadoes
13hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
27damaging thunderstorm winds
9floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Sep 26, 2008EF0Franklin0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Oct 7, 2006Flash FloodFranklin$5M
Oct 8, 2016FloodFranklin$450K
Aug 20, 2019Thunderstorm WindFranklin$100K
Feb 6, 2020Thunderstorm WindSago$10K
May 22, 2025HailFranklin$10K
Jul 10, 2014HailFranklin$5K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 22, 2025. 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 1851, 10 hurricanes and 41 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Franklin City, 24 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1879, with top winds near 105 mph about 64 miles away.

10hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
41tropical storms
2023most recent: Ophelia

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 18, 1879UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph64 mi
Oct 23, 1878UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph30 mi
Aug 12, 1955ConnieCategory 1, 90 mph59 mi
Sep 18, 2003IsabelCategory 1, 85 mph55 mi
Aug 23, 1933UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph61 mi
Aug 17, 1986CharleyCategory 1, 80 mph65 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 2023OpheliaTropical storm, 50 mph59 mi
Jul 9, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 55 mph46 mi
Jun 21, 2021ClaudetteTropical storm, 45 mph59 mi
Aug 4, 2020IsaiasTropical storm, 70 mph36 mi
Aug 27, 2011IreneCategory 1, 75 mph64 mi
Sep 6, 2008HannaTropical storm, 50 mph43 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 Franklin City

Check your address flood zone ›
0.8%of homes have federal flood insurance (20 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$5 millionpaid on 106 flood claims since 1978
2006costliest year, with $3.9 million 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 Franklin City

$256,600median home value (Virginia $383,700, US $332,700)
1967median year homes were built (Virginia 1984, US 1980)
62%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
0.1%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; 3,910 housing units.

Compare in Virginia

All 133 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Fairfax CountyHighInland flooding
Prince William CountyModerateInland flooding
Virginia Beach CityLowHurricane
Loudoun CountyLowInland flooding
Chesterfield CountyModerateInland flooding
Henrico CountyModerateInland flooding
Chesapeake CityLowInland flooding
Arlington CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Isle of Wight CountyVery Low18
Southampton CountyVery Low11

Common questions about Franklin City

What is the biggest natural hazard in Franklin City?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Franklin City, about $1.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Franklin City had?

Franklin City has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1993, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Franklin City a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 113th highest of 133 in Virginia. 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 Franklin City?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Franklin City 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 Franklin City had?

NOAA records list 1 tornadoes in Franklin City since 1950. The strongest was an EF0 tornado on September 26, 2008 near Franklin. The weather service has also logged 13 hail reports and 9 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Franklin City?

NOAA's hurricane records show 10 hurricanes and 41 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Franklin City. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1879, with winds near 105 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 city, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.