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Chancellor HouseChancellor House · Photo: Rivers Langley; SaveRivers · CC BY-SA 3.0
CHazard risk
Natural hazards in Harpersville · FEMA

FEMA puts Harpersville’s expected hazard damage per building above that of 73% of U.S. towns, mostly from river and rain flooding

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Harpersville gets a C for hazard risk: higher expected damage per building than 73% of U.S. towns. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (74%), then tornadoes (19%). Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2003.

River and rain flooding 74%Tornadoes 19%Earthquakes 5%

Graded on FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value (NRI v1.20, December 2025), weighted by where residents live; flood claims are shown, not graded. How hazard risk is graded

more than 73%of U.S. townsLess damageMoreExpected yearly damage per dollar of building, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade
Hazard risk
C
in Alabama · higher than 73% of U.S. towns
Main hazard
River and rain flooding
74% of expected building damage
Flood claims
3
paid since 2003 · $46K
Disasters paid out here
2
of 22 declared for Shelby County
By hazard

What Harpersville faces

Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.

River and rain flooding

74%of expected building damage
Above average · higher than 78% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

19%of expected building damage
Well above average · in the top 1% of U.S. census tracts
Smaller shares here
 Earthquakes Wildfire Hail Hurricanes Strong wind Ice storms Landslides top 5% Lightning Winter storms Cold waves Heat waves
FEMA models no building damage here
Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Hazard risk grade

What’s behind Harpersville’s grade

River and rain flooding is 74% of the building damage FEMA expects in Harpersville, and Harpersville’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is higher than 78% of U.S. census tracts. Tornadoes add 19%, at a rate in the top 1% of U.S. census tracts.

Where Harpersville sits
Harpersville
Least damageMiddleMost damage

C higher expected damage per building than 73% of U.S. towns (21,298).

Harpersville’s residents live in 2 census tracts; FEMA’s figures are combined by where they live.

What drives the damage to buildings
River and rain flooding74%Tornadoes19%Earthquakes5%Everything else2%

In dollars, FEMA expects about $985K a year in losses across Harpersville: $647K to buildings, the rest to people and crops.

A small-area figure. Harpersville covers 2 census tracts, combined by where residents live. FEMA’s model is an average year for today’s buildings, not a record: the claims and disasters below are the record.

How TownRatings grades hazard risk →

Flood insurance claims

Does Harpersville flood? Rarely: 3 flood claims since 2003

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Harpersville, from FEMA’s records: 3.6 per 1,000 homes, more than 53% of the 13,809 U.S. towns with a flood insurance record.

Paid flood claims, by year
2003: 1 claim2004: 0 claims2005: 0 claims2006: 0 claims2007: 0 claims2008: 0 claims2009: 0 claims2010: 0 claims2011: 0 claims2012: 0 claims2013: 0 claims2014: 0 claims2015: 1 claim2016: 0 claims2017: 0 claims2018: 0 claims2019: 1 claim2020: 0 claims2021: 0 claims2022: 0 claims2023: 0 claims2024: 0 claims2025: 0 claims2026: 0 claims200320152019
20032026
Biggest named events
  • The Early winter storms1 claim · $15K
3
paid claims since 2003
$46K
paid to owners
0
homes flooded more than once
$15K
average claim
of homes in flood zones are insured
of all homes are insured
No community discount

Harpersville isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Shelby County.
What’s been done with FEMA grants
3storm safe rooms built
Disasters

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Harpersville

Disasters that paid out in Harpersville itself (aid to households or repair grants to the Town of Harpersville), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.

  1. 2005Hurricane Dennis$1K to the Town of Harpersville for repairs
  2. 2004Hurricane Ivan1 households applied for aid$2K aid approved
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in HarpersvilleShelby County only

Shelby County has had 22 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms, then hurricanes and tropical storms.

Also 1 FEMA wildfire suppression grant (Fire Management Assistance, not a disaster declaration) for fires in Shelby County, 1999–1999.

Were you here?

Old photos of Harpersville after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the Harpersville archive →
Next door

Harpersville and its neighbors

Harpersville has the lowest expected damage per building of the 3 graded towns here. Tap a town to see its hazards.

Vincent: hazard risk C−Westover: hazard risk C−VincentWestoverHarpersville
Lowest fifthSecondMiddleFourthHighest fifth
TownHazard riskMostly (buildings)Flood claims
HarpersvilleCmore damage than 73%river and rain flooding3
VincentC−more damage than 77%river and rain flooding1
WestoverC−more damage than 81%river and rain flooding—

Hazard risk = FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade; the map is shaded by fifths of the same scale. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.

Be ready

Get ready for what Harpersville faces

A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.

When the river rises
  • Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
  • Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
  • Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Tornado warnings
  • Pick your spot now: the lowest floor, an inside room, no windows.
  • A watch means be ready; a warning means take cover now.
  • Keep shoes and a flashlight by the bed.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Before you buy or rent
  • Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
  • Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
  • Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
When a storm is coming
Forecast and alertsWeather →911, the nearest ERSafety →

Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.

Questions about natural hazards in Harpersville

Is Harpersville at risk for natural disasters?

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Harpersville has higher expected damage per building than 73% of U.S. towns: C for hazard risk. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (74%) and tornadoes (19%). This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.

Does Harpersville flood?

Flood insurance has paid 3 claims in Harpersville since 2003, $46K in all, or 3.6 per 1,000 homes, more than 53% of U.S. towns with a flood insurance record. The most claims came from Early winter storms (1).

Is Harpersville in a flood zone?

Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Shelby County, 31% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 0.6% of all homes do.

How much is flood insurance in Harpersville?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Harpersville’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.

What was the biggest storm in Harpersville?

By FEMA money that reached Harpersville, Hurricane Ivan (2004): 1 households applied for aid, $2K approved. By flood claims, Early winter storms: 1 paid, $15K.

Is Harpersville at risk from river and rain flooding?

It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (74%), and Harpersville’s rate for it is higher than 78% of U.S. census tracts.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Harpersville.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Harpersville’s residents lived in the 2020 census; OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.