Bank of Oberlin · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0For hail, Oberlin’s building-damage rate is in the top 4% of U.S. census tracts
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Oberlin gets a B− for hazard risk: higher expected damage per building than 52% of U.S. towns. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (53%), then hail (16%). FEMA’s files show no paid flood insurance claims here.
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
What Oberlin 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
Hail
Tornadoes
Strong wind
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.
What’s behind Oberlin’s grade
River and rain flooding is 53% of the building damage FEMA expects in Oberlin, and Oberlin’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is lower than 61% of U.S. census tracts. Hail adds 16%, at a rate in the top 4% of U.S. census tracts.
B− higher expected damage per building than 52% of U.S. towns (21,298).
All of Oberlin’s residents live in one census tract; the figures are that tract’s.
In dollars, FEMA expects about $3.4M a year in losses across Oberlin: $1.2M to buildings, the rest to people and crops.
Does Oberlin flood? No paid flood claims on record
FEMA’s records show no paid flood insurance claims in Oberlin. That’s not a promise: most homes don’t carry flood insurance, so small floods go unrecorded.
Oberlin isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Decatur County.3 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Oberlin
Disasters that paid out in Oberlin itself (aid to households or repair grants to the City of Oberlin), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.
- 2017Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding$114K to the City of Oberlin for repairs
- 2008Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes$4K to the City of Oberlin for repairs
- 2006Severe Winter Storm$11K to the City of Oberlin for repairs
Decatur County has had 9 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms, then winter storms. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Old photos of Oberlin after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Oberlin archive →Oberlin and its neighbors
Oberlin has the lowest expected damage per building of the 1 graded towns here. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oberlin | B−more damage than 52% | river and rain flooding | 0 |
| Liberty Township | — | 74 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
| Center Township | — | 12 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
| Oberlin Township | — | 28 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
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.
Get ready for what Oberlin faces
A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.
- 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.
- Park in a garage or under cover when storms are forecast.
- Stay away from windows while it falls.
- Photograph roof and car damage for your insurer.
- 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.
- Trim dead limbs over the house and driveway.
- Tie down trash cans and outdoor furniture.
- Stay clear of downed lines and call the utility.
- 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.
Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.
Questions about natural hazards in Oberlin
Is Oberlin at risk for natural disasters?
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Oberlin has higher expected damage per building than 52% of U.S. towns: B− for hazard risk. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (53%) and hail (16%). The figures are for the one census tract the town shares with its neighbors. This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.
Is Oberlin 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 Decatur County, 0.0% of all homes carry federal flood insurance.
How much is flood insurance in Oberlin?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Oberlin’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 Oberlin?
By FEMA money that reached Oberlin, Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding (2017): $114K to the City of Oberlin for repairs.
Is Oberlin at risk from river and rain flooding?
It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (53%), and Oberlin’s rate for it is lower than 61% of U.S. census tracts.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Oberlin.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Oberlin’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.