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Radford City, Virginia

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

Very Low overall risk
128th of 133highest risk in Virginia
$3Mexpected losses a year
15federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Radford City, Virginia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 97% of US counties. It ranks 128th of 133 counties in Virginia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $2.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $159 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 11 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 Radford City

$1.6 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.
$388,671 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.

Earthquake

Very Low
$221,093 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 675 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low11.4
$2M
Cold waveLow26.7
$389K
EarthquakeVery Low44.8
$221K
Strong windLow19.0
$182K
TornadoVery Low8.1
$50K
LightningVery Low12.9
$49K
HailVery Low9.1
$30K
Winter weatherVery Low22.2
$22K
HurricaneVery Low28.5
$14K
Ice stormVery Low8.0
$4K
WildfireVery Low2.7
$1K
LandslideVery Low33.9
$451

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 low and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Snowstorm4
Flood3
Hurricane3
Severe Storm2
Tropical Storm2
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 23, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Oct 1, 2024Tropical Storm HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 29, 2024Post-Tropical Cyclone HeleneEmergency
Sep 11, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Oct 29, 2012Hurricane SandyEmergency
Jul 27, 2012Severe Storms and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Feb 16, 2010Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Sep 12, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm)Major disaster
Apr 11, 1994Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Show all 15
Mar 10, 1994Severe Ice Storms, FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 25, 1993Severe Winter StormEmergency
May 19, 1992Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 12, 1977Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
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 52 storm reports in Radford City since 1998 and about $905,000 in reported damage. No tornadoes are on record here.

0tornadoes
15hail reports, largest 1 inches
25damaging thunderstorm winds
11floods and flash floods

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jan 31, 2013FloodRadford$750K
Aug 12, 2018Thunderstorm WindRadford$70K
Aug 30, 2018Flash FloodRadford$50K
Oct 23, 2017Thunderstorm WindRadford$10K
Jul 26, 2021Thunderstorm WindRadford$8K
Jun 11, 2011Thunderstorm WindRadford$5K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 30, 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 1878, 0 hurricanes and 6 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Radford City, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1893, with top winds near 70 mph about 59 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
6tropical storms
1979most recent: David

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 28, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph59 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph50 mi
Sep 12, 1878UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph60 mi
Sep 1, 1952AbleTropical storm, 50 mph60 mi
Sep 5, 1979DavidTropical storm, 45 mph57 mi
Aug 3, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph59 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 5, 1979DavidTropical storm, 45 mph57 mi
Sep 1, 1952AbleTropical storm, 50 mph60 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph50 mi
Aug 3, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph59 mi
Aug 28, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph59 mi
Sep 12, 1878UnnamedTropical storm, 60 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 Radford City

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (11 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$492,970paid on 6 flood claims since 1978
2024costliest year, with $460,730 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 Radford City

$220,700median home value (Virginia $383,700, US $332,700)
1976median year homes were built (Virginia 1984, US 1980)
55%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
1.1%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; 6,459 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
Montgomery CountyLow22
Pulaski CountyLow20

Common questions about Radford City

What is the biggest natural hazard in Radford City?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Radford City, about $1.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $388,671.

How many federal disasters has Radford City had?

Radford City has been included in 15 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 Radford City a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 128th 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 Radford City?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Radford 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 Radford City had?

NOAA records list 0 tornadoes in Radford City since 1950. The weather service has also logged 15 hail reports and 11 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Radford City?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 6 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Radford City. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1893, with winds near 70 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.