Home › Virginia › Martinsville City

Martinsville City, Virginia

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

Very Low overall risk
106th of 133highest risk in Virginia
$3Mexpected losses a year
11federal declarations
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Martinsville City, Virginia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 90% of US counties. It ranks 106th of 133 counties in Virginia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $3.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $252 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). No homes here carry federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Martinsville City

$2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 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.
$341,063 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events very rare.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
$297,417 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 340 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 Low23.1
$2M
EarthquakeLow60.7
$341K
TornadoLow26.9
$297K
Strong windLow32.6
$236K
Cold waveVery Low23.4
$210K
HurricaneLow59.3
$139K
Ice stormLow47.1
$55K
LightningVery Low17.7
$44K
HailVery Low17.0
$43K
Heat waveVery Low17.8
$36K
Winter weatherVery Low19.9
$13K
WildfireVery Low0.6
$186
LandslideVery Low24.3
$128

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 Martinsville City. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane6
Snowstorm2
Flood1
Severe Storm1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 23, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Dec 18, 2018Tropical Storm MichaelMajor disaster
Oct 15, 2018Hurricane FlorenceMajor disaster
Sep 11, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Oct 29, 2012Hurricane SandyEmergency
Jul 27, 2012Severe Storms and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 12, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 6, 1996Hurricane Fran and Associated Severe Storm CondMajor disaster
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm)Major disaster
Mar 25, 1993Severe Winter StormEmergency
Show all 11
Jun 23, 1972Tropical Storm AgnesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1998

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 108 storm reports in Martinsville City since 1998, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries and about $3 million in reported damage. No tornadoes are on record here.

0tornadoes
18hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
52damaging thunderstorm winds
20floods and flash floods

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 10, 2011Thunderstorm WindMartinsville$2M
May 18, 2018Flash FloodMartinsville$800K
Jul 31, 1999Thunderstorm WindMartinsville$100K
Sep 17, 2018Flash FloodMartinsville$79K
Jun 29, 2012Thunderstorm WindMartinsville$75K
Jul 27, 2016Thunderstorm WindMartinsville$75K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 9, 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 1859, 1 hurricane and 13 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Martinsville City, 5 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1896, with top winds near 80 mph about 50 miles away.

1hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
13tropical storms
2018most recent: Michael

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 30, 1896UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph50 mi
Aug 28, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph59 mi
Sep 12, 1878UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph41 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph45 mi
Aug 18, 1955DianeTropical storm, 55 mph64 mi
Sep 6, 1996FranTropical storm, 55 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 55 mph65 mi
Sep 6, 1996FranTropical storm, 55 mph63 mi
Sep 5, 1979DavidTropical storm, 45 mph52 mi
Aug 18, 1955DianeTropical storm, 55 mph64 mi
Sep 1, 1952AbleTropical storm, 50 mph57 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph45 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 Martinsville City

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (0 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 0 flood claims since 1978
n/acostliest year

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 Martinsville City

$98,400median home value (Virginia $383,700, US $332,700)
1958median year homes were built (Virginia 1984, US 1980)
82%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
0.7%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; 7,035 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
Henry CountyLow14

Common questions about Martinsville City

What is the biggest natural hazard in Martinsville City?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Martinsville City, about $2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $341,063.

How many federal disasters has Martinsville City had?

Martinsville City has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Martinsville City a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 106th 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 Martinsville City?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Martinsville City had?

NOAA records list 0 tornadoes in Martinsville City since 1950. The weather service has also logged 18 hail reports and 20 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Martinsville City?

NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 13 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Martinsville City. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1896, with winds near 80 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.