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Hopewell City, Virginia

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

Very Low overall risk
87th of 133highest risk in Virginia
$4Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Hopewell City, Virginia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 83% of US counties. It ranks 87th of 133 counties in Virginia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $4.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $194 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 21 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $171,000 on 18 claims here.

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

Top risks in Hopewell City

$2.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$720,340 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 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.
$414,911 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 160 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
Inland floodingVery Low30.0
$2M
HurricaneLow75.6
$720K
TornadoLow33.1
$415K
EarthquakeLow64.0
$389K
Heat waveLow47.1
$220K
Strong windLow17.0
$100K
LightningLow30.6
$75K
Coastal floodingLow48.6
$51K
Ice stormLow44.1
$44K
Winter weatherLow40.3
$31K
HailVery Low9.7
$20K
Cold waveVery Low3.7
$3K
WildfireVery Low3.2
$767
LandslideVery Low8.5
$13

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 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 Hopewell City. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane7
Snowstorm2
Severe Storm2
Flood1
Freezing1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 23, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 11, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Oct 29, 2012Hurricane SandyEmergency
Sep 3, 2011Hurricane IreneMajor disaster
Sep 12, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 3, 2004Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes Associated W Td GastonMajor disaster
Sep 18, 2003Hurricane IsabelMajor disaster
Feb 28, 2000Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Sep 18, 1999Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsMajor disaster
Sep 6, 1996Hurricane Fran and Associated Severe Storm CondMajor disaster
Show all 14
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm)Major disaster
Mar 25, 1993Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jan 26, 1977Ice ConditionsMajor disaster
Jun 23, 1972Tropical Storm AgnesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1981

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 76 storm reports in Hopewell City since 1981, with 0 deaths and 16 injuries and about $2.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 8, 1984.

2tornadoes
15hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
28damaging thunderstorm winds
9floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 8, 1984F3–15 / 0
Aug 30, 2004F0Hopewell0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 8, 1984Tornado–$3M
May 11, 1996Thunderstorm WindHopewell$10K
Aug 30, 2004TornadoHopewell$10K
May 23, 2005Thunderstorm WindHopewell$10K
May 22, 2014Thunderstorm WindHopewell$10K
Jul 19, 2016Thunderstorm WindHopewell$10K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 23, 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.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1859, 6 hurricanes and 22 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Hopewell City, 12 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1878, with top winds near 100 mph about 36 miles away.

6hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
22tropical storms
2023most recent: Ophelia

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 23, 1878UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph36 mi
Oct 13, 1893UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph55 mi
Sep 18, 2003IsabelCategory 1, 80 mph60 mi
Aug 23, 1933UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph54 mi
Sep 17, 1876UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph64 mi
Aug 13, 1955ConnieCategory 1, 75 mph62 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 2023OpheliaTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi
Jul 9, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 55 mph51 mi
Aug 4, 2020IsaiasTropical storm, 70 mph34 mi
Sep 6, 2008HannaTropical storm, 50 mph64 mi
Aug 30, 2004GastonTropical storm, 40 mph39 mi
Sep 18, 2003IsabelCategory 1, 80 mph60 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 Hopewell City

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (21 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$170,737paid on 18 flood claims since 1978
2003costliest year, with $73,617 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 Hopewell City

$181,600median home value (Virginia $383,700, US $332,700)
1972median year homes were built (Virginia 1984, US 1980)
69%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
3.3%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; 10,448 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
Chesterfield CountyModerate23
Prince George CountyVery Low17

Common questions about Hopewell City

What is the biggest natural hazard in Hopewell City?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Hopewell City, about $2.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $720,340.

How many federal disasters has Hopewell City had?

Hopewell City has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Hopewell City a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 87th 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 Hopewell City?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Hopewell 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 Hopewell City had?

NOAA records list 2 tornadoes in Hopewell City since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 8, 1984. The weather service has also logged 15 hail reports and 9 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Hopewell City?

NOAA's hurricane records show 6 hurricanes and 22 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Hopewell City. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1878, with winds near 100 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.