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C+Hazard risk
Natural hazards in Sunset Hills · FEMA

FEMA puts Sunset Hills’s expected hazard damage per building above that of 61% of U.S. towns, mostly from river and rain flooding

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Sunset Hills gets a C+ for hazard risk: higher expected damage per building than 61% of U.S. towns, #132 of 247 in Missouri. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (55%), then earthquakes (30%). Flood insurance has paid 118 claims here since 1979.

River and rain flooding 55%Earthquakes 30%Hail 11%

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 61%of U.S. townsLess damageMoreExpected yearly damage per dollar of building, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade#132 of 247 in Missouri
Hazard risk
C+#132 of 247
in Missouri · higher than 61% of U.S. towns
Main hazard
River and rain flooding
55% of expected building damage
Flood claims
118
paid since 1979 · $7.8M
Flooded more than once
23
properties · 8 “severe repetitive loss”
Disasters paid out here
5
of 30 declared for St. Louis County

What stands out about Sunset Hills’ natural hazards

From FEMA’s model and FEMA’s records, below.

118 paid flood claims since 1979$7.8M in all; 23 properties flooded more than once. More per home than 89% of U.S. towns.Moved out of harm’s way1 flood-prone property bought out and cleared with FEMA grants.Remembers 199323 flood claims were paid for 1993 alone, the most of any year.
By hazard

What Sunset Hills 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

55%of expected building damage
About average · lower than 54% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

30%of expected building damage
Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. census tracts

Hail

11%of expected building damage
Well above average · in the top 6% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area
Smaller shares here
 Tornadoes Ice storms Winter storms Lightning Hurricanes Strong wind Wildfire Cold waves Heat waves Landslides
FEMA models no building damage here
Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
People, not buildings.Counting harm to people as well as buildings, FEMA’s model puts heat waves at 25% of Sunset Hills’ expected losses. Heat waves do little damage to buildings (0.0%), so they aren’t part of the grade.

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 Sunset Hills’ grade

River and rain flooding is 55% of the building damage FEMA expects in Sunset Hills, and Sunset Hills’ rate of river and rain flooding damage is lower than 54% of U.S. census tracts. Hail adds 11%, at a rate in the top 6% of U.S. census tracts.

Where Sunset Hills sits
Sunset Hills
Least damageMiddleMost damage

C+ #132 of 247 in Missouri; higher expected damage per building than 61% of U.S. towns (21,298).

Sunset Hills’ residents live in 6 census tracts; FEMA’s figures are combined by where they live.

What drives the damage to buildings
River and rain flooding55%Earthquakes30%Hail11%Everything else5%

The typical Missouri town has higher expected damage than 59% of U.S. towns; within the state, Sunset Hills has more expected damage per building than 53% of Missouri towns.

In dollars, FEMA expects about $9.4M a year in losses across Sunset Hills: $5.5M to buildings, the rest to people and crops.

A small-area figure. Sunset Hills covers 6 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 Sunset Hills flood? Yes: 118 flood claims since 1979

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Sunset Hills, from FEMA’s records: 31.3 per 1,000 homes, more than 89% of the 13,809 U.S. towns with a flood insurance record.

Paid flood claims, by year
1979: 3 claims1980: 0 claims1981: 0 claims1982: 6 claims1983: 9 claims1984: 0 claims1985: 13 claims1986: 2 claims1987: 0 claims1988: 0 claims1989: 0 claims1990: 1 claim1991: 0 claims1992: 0 claims1993: 23 claims1994: 16 claims1995: 3 claims1996: 0 claims1997: 0 claims1998: 0 claims1999: 0 claims2000: 0 claims2001: 0 claims2002: 0 claims2003: 0 claims2004: 0 claims2005: 0 claims2006: 0 claims2007: 0 claims2008: 7 claims2009: 0 claims2010: 0 claims2011: 0 claims2012: 0 claims2013: 0 claims2014: 0 claims2015: 15 claims2016: 0 claims2017: 15 claims2018: 0 claims2019: 1 claim2020: 0 claims2021: 0 claims2022: 2 claims2023: 0 claims2024: 2 claims2025: 0 claims2026: 0 claims199319942015
19792026
Biggest named events
  • The Late spring severe storms15 claims · $1.6M
  • The Early winter storms15 claims · $4.7M
  • The Midwest Flooding12 claims · $182K
118
paid claims since 1979
$7.8M
paid to owners
23
homes flooded more than once
$66K
average claim
Homes that flooded again and again
FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (8)Flooded 2+ times
of homes in flood zones are insured
of all homes are insured
No community discount

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

Insurance rates: St. Louis County.
What’s been done with FEMA grants
1flood-prone property bought out and cleared
Disasters

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Sunset Hills

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

  1. 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds and Flooding$290K to the City of Sunset Hills for repairs15 flood claims paid that year
  2. 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding7 households applied for aid$20K aid approved$172K to the City of Sunset Hills for repairs15 flood claims paid that year
  3. 2007Severe Winter Storms and Flooding$22K to the City of Sunset Hills for repairs
  4. 2006Severe Winter Storms$65K to the City of Sunset Hills for repairs
  5. 2006Severe Storms$21K to the City of Sunset Hills for repairs
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in Sunset HillsSt. Louis County only

St. Louis County has had 30 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.

Were you here?

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

Add to the Sunset Hills archive →
Next door

Sunset Hills and its neighbors

Sunset Hills is 3rd of the 5 graded towns here, from least expected damage per building to most. Tap a town to see its hazards.

Crestwood: hazard risk CKirkwood: hazard risk C+Fenton: hazard risk CSappington: hazard risk B−CrestwoodKirkwoodFentonSappingtonSunset Hills
Lowest fifthSecondMiddleFourthHighest fifth
TownHazard riskMostly (buildings)Flood claims
SappingtonB−more damage than 53%river and rain flooding2
KirkwoodC+more damage than 57%river and rain flooding123
Sunset HillsC+more damage than 61%river and rain flooding118
FentonCmore damage than 68%river and rain flooding606
CrestwoodCmore damage than 74%river and rain flooding33

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 Sunset Hills 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 ↗
Earthquakes
  • Drop, cover and hold on.
  • Strap tall furniture and the water heater to the wall.
  • Know how to shut off the gas.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Hail
  • 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.
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 Sunset Hills

Is Sunset Hills at risk for natural disasters?

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Sunset Hills has higher expected damage per building than 61% of U.S. towns: C+ for hazard risk, #132 of 247 in Missouri. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (55%) and earthquakes (30%). This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.

Does Sunset Hills flood?

Flood insurance has paid 118 claims in Sunset Hills since 1979, $7.8M in all, or 31.3 per 1,000 homes, more than 89% of U.S. towns with a flood insurance record. 23 properties have flooded more than once. The most claims came from Late spring severe storms (15).

Is Sunset Hills 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 St. Louis County, 34% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 0.6% of all homes do.

How much is flood insurance in Sunset Hills?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Sunset Hills’ 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 Sunset Hills?

By FEMA money that reached Sunset Hills, Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds and Flooding (2017): $290K to the City of Sunset Hills for repairs. By flood claims, Late spring severe storms: 15 paid, $1.6M.

Is Sunset Hills at risk from river and rain flooding?

It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (55%), and Sunset Hills’ rate for it is lower than 54% of U.S. census tracts.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Sunset Hills.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Sunset Hills’ 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.