Olive Hill C & O Depot · Photo: CoryClaxon · CC BY-SA 3.0On FEMA’s figures, Olive Hill faces more hazard damage per building than 61% of U.S. towns, mostly from river and rain flooding
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Olive Hill gets a C+ for hazard risk: higher expected damage per building than 61% of U.S. towns. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (88%). Flood insurance has paid 167 claims here since 1978.
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 stands out about Olive Hill’s natural hazards
From FEMA’s model and FEMA’s records, below.
What Olive Hill 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
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 Olive Hill’s grade
River and rain flooding is 88% of the building damage FEMA expects in Olive Hill, and Olive Hill’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is higher than 78% of U.S. census tracts.
C+ higher expected damage per building than 61% of U.S. towns (21,298).
Olive Hill’s residents live in 2 census tracts; FEMA’s figures are combined by where they live.
In dollars, FEMA expects about $618K a year in losses across Olive Hill: $382K to buildings, the rest to people and crops.
Does Olive Hill flood? Yes: 167 flood claims since 1978
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Olive Hill, from FEMA’s records: 168.0 per 1,000 homes, more than 98% of the 13,809 U.S. towns with a flood insurance record.
Olive Hill isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Carter County.14 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Olive Hill
Disasters that paid out in Olive Hill itself (aid to households or repair grants to the City of Olive Hill), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.
- 2024Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, and Mudslides18 households applied for aid$72K aid approved
- 2021Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides$53K to the City of Olive Hill for repairs
- 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslide254 households applied for aid$505K aid approved$45K to the City of Olive Hill for repairs
- 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides11 households applied for aid$13K aid approved
- 2015Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides$5K to the City of Olive Hill for repairs
- 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding$2K to the City of Olive Hill for repairs
Show all 14
- 2010Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides290 households applied for aid$1.0M aid approved$63K to the City of Olive Hill for repairs
- 2010Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Tornadoes381 households applied for aid$1.5M aid approved$239K to the City of Olive Hill for repairs
- 2009Severe Winter Storm and Flooding$34K to the City of Olive Hill for repairs
- 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides59 households applied for aid$164K aid approved3 flood claims paid that year
- 2003Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and Tornadoes70 households applied for aid$134K aid approved
- 2003Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and Tornadoes203 households applied for aid$788K aid approved$111K to the City of Olive Hill for repairs
- 2003Severe Winter Ice and Snow Storms, Heavy Rain, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Mud and292 households applied for aid$515K aid approved$132K to the City of Olive Hill for repairs
- 2002Severe Storms and Flooding$117K to the City of Olive Hill for repairs23 flood claims paid that year
Carter County has had 32 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms, then floods. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Old photos of Olive Hill after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Olive Hill archive →Get ready for what Olive Hill 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.
- 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 Olive Hill
Is Olive Hill at risk for natural disasters?
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Olive Hill has higher expected damage per building than 61% of U.S. towns: C+ for hazard risk. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (88%). This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.
Does Olive Hill flood?
Flood insurance has paid 167 claims in Olive Hill since 1978, $4.6M in all, or 168.0 per 1,000 homes, more than 98% of U.S. towns with a flood insurance record. 20 properties have flooded more than once.
Is Olive Hill 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 Carter County, 12% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 1.3% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in Olive Hill?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Olive Hill’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 Olive Hill?
By FEMA money that reached Olive Hill, Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Tornadoes (2010): 381 households applied for aid, $1.5M approved, and $239K to the City of Olive Hill for repairs.
Is Olive Hill at risk from river and rain flooding?
It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (88%), and Olive Hill’s rate for it is higher than 78% of U.S. census tracts.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Olive Hill.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Olive Hill’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.