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West Virginia natural disaster risk

Ratings for all 55 counties, the federal disaster record and flood insurance across the state.

73major disasters since 1953 (11th most)

$999Mexpected losses a year

1%of homes with flood insurance

Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

West Virginia has had 73 major federal disaster declarations for natural events since 1953. FEMA expects about $999 million a year in losses from natural hazards across the state. Inland flooding is the costliest hazard in 55 of its 55 counties. None is rated Very High overall. About 1% of homes carry federal flood insurance, and the program has paid $378 million on 27,290 claims here since 1978.

Very High0counties

High1counties

Moderate1counties

Low30counties

Highest overall risk

1Kanawha CountyHigh

2Cabell CountyModerate

3Wood CountyLow

4Wayne CountyLow

5Logan CountyLow

Lowest risk (50,000+ people)

1Jefferson CountyLow

2Mercer CountyLow

3Raleigh CountyLow

4Berkeley CountyLow

5Monongalia CountyLow

Top hazards

Inland floodingtop risk in 55 counties

Recent federal declarations

All states ›

Oct 7, 2026Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster

Aug 3, 2026Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster

Largest counties

Kanawha County

180,603 people

High Inland flooding

Berkeley County

122,020 people

Low Inland flooding

Monongalia County

105,598 people

Low Inland flooding

Cabell County

94,158 people

Moderate Inland flooding

Wood County

84,238 people

Low Inland flooding

Raleigh County

74,558 people

Low Inland flooding

Harrison County

65,753 people

Low Inland flooding

Mercer County

59,638 people

Low Inland flooding

Jefferson County

57,431 people

Low Inland flooding

Putnam County

57,374 people

Low Inland flooding

Marion County

56,158 people

Low Inland flooding

Ohio County

42,418 people

Low Inland flooding

Cities in West Virginia

All 5 cities ›

Charleston47,421 Huntington45,787 Morgantown30,236 Parkersburg29,240 Wheeling26,350

All 55 counties

Name	People	Overall risk	Top hazard	Declarations	Homes insured
Barbour County	15,458	Very Low	Inland flooding	19	0.6%
Berkeley County	122,020	Low	Inland flooding	16	0.3%
Boone County	21,756	Low	Inland flooding	28	1.5%
Braxton County	12,438	Very Low	Inland flooding	22	0.5%
Brooke County	22,549	Low	Inland flooding	16	1%
Cabell County	94,158	Moderate	Inland flooding	29	0.9%
Calhoun County	6,220	Very Low	Inland flooding	22	1%
Clay County	8,050	Very Low	Inland flooding	23	1.3%
Doddridge County	7,802	Very Low	Inland flooding	23	0.9%
Fayette County	40,383	Low	Inland flooding	24	0.6%
Gilmer County	7,406	Very Low	Inland flooding	23	1.3%
Grant County	10,975	Very Low	Inland flooding	19	0.5%
Greenbrier County	32,949	Low	Inland flooding	25	1.4%
Hampshire County	23,087	Very Low	Inland flooding	17	0.8%
Hancock County	29,091	Very Low	Inland flooding	16	0.6%
Hardy County	14,289	Very Low	Inland flooding	20	0.6%
Harrison County	65,753	Low	Inland flooding	23	0.5%
Jackson County	27,774	Low	Inland flooding	22	0.7%
Jefferson County	57,431	Low	Inland flooding	17	0.8%
Kanawha County	180,603	High	Inland flooding	32	1.5%
Lewis County	17,010	Low	Inland flooding	23	0.8%
Lincoln County	20,386	Low	Inland flooding	36	0.9%
Logan County	32,451	Low	Inland flooding	33	2.4%
Marion County	56,158	Low	Inland flooding	20	0.5%
Marshall County	30,591	Low	Inland flooding	23	0.8%
Mason County	25,424	Low	Inland flooding	19	0.6%
McDowell County	19,078	Low	Inland flooding	25	4.6%
Mercer County	59,638	Low	Inland flooding	25	0.8%
Mineral County	26,925	Low	Inland flooding	17	0.9%
Mingo County	23,504	Low	Inland flooding	34	3.9%
Monongalia County	105,598	Low	Inland flooding	19	0.4%
Monroe County	12,370	Very Low	Inland flooding	17	0.3%
Morgan County	17,057	Very Low	Inland flooding	15	1%
Nicholas County	24,584	Low	Inland flooding	24	0.5%
Ohio County	42,418	Low	Inland flooding	21	3.4%
Pendleton County	6,135	Very Low	Inland flooding	22	1%
Pleasants County	7,647	Very Low	Inland flooding	14	0.8%
Pocahontas County	7,845	Very Low	Inland flooding	21	2%
Preston County	34,212	Very Low	Inland flooding	22	0.4%
Putnam County	57,374	Low	Inland flooding	21	1.2%
Raleigh County	74,558	Low	Inland flooding	27	0.4%
Randolph County	27,919	Low	Inland flooding	21	1.1%
Ritchie County	8,441	Very Low	Inland flooding	19	0.4%
Roane County	14,013	Low	Inland flooding	23	1.3%
Summers County	11,935	Very Low	Inland flooding	22	1.2%
Taylor County	16,689	Very Low	Inland flooding	18	0.4%
Tucker County	6,762	Very Low	Inland flooding	23	1.7%
Tyler County	8,299	Very Low	Inland flooding	24	0.6%
Upshur County	23,791	Low	Inland flooding	20	1%
Wayne County	38,938	Low	Inland flooding	31	1%
Webster County	8,359	Very Low	Inland flooding	21	1.4%
Wetzel County	14,420	Low	Inland flooding	26	1.6%
Wirt County	5,184	Very Low	Inland flooding	19	0.5%
Wood County	84,238	Low	Inland flooding	16	0.6%
Wyoming County	21,372	Low	Inland flooding	28	2.9%

Linked names have a full page. Overall risk from the FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); declarations are federal disaster and emergency declarations for natural events since 1953 (OpenFEMA); homes insured is the share with NFIP flood policies.