Kanawha County flood history
West Virginia · From FEMA's flood insurance and disaster data · Updated 2026-10-08
FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data lists 2,479 flood insurance claims in Kanawha County, West Virginia since 1978. The NFIP paid $43.2 million on them (building, contents and Increased Cost of Compliance payments, in the dollars of the year paid).
The year with the most claims was 2003, with 483.
In the last ten years (2017–2026) there were 254 claims, and the average paid claim was $25,788.
22% of the claims with a recorded flood zone came from buildings outside FEMA's high-risk zones (rated zones B, C and X).
About 1.5% of homes in Kanawha County, West Virginia had an NFIP flood policy in FEMA's latest count (1,159 of 78,314 residential buildings). In the high-risk flood zones (Special Flood Hazard Areas), it was 10% (1,000 of 10,173).
Since 2000, FEMA has made 15 flood-related disaster declarations covering Kanawha County, West Virginia. The most recent was DR-4787-WV (Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides), declared May 24, 2024.
NFIP claims by year
Show as a table
| Year | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 34 | $171,774 |
| 2025 | 22 | $273,997 |
| 2024 | 33 | $727,210 |
| 2023 | 20 | $548,790 |
| 2022 | 47 | $1.1 million |
| 2021 | 74 | $2.0 million |
| 2020 | 3 | $5,123 |
| 2019 | 6 | $45,998 |
| 2018 | 14 | $166,421 |
| 2017 | 1 | $0 |
| 2016 | 336 | $18.7 million |
| 2015 | 81 | $936,777 |
| 2014 | 17 | $74,625 |
| 2013 | 33 | $358,075 |
| 2012 | 5 | $7,413 |
| 2011 | 7 | $20,838 |
| 2010 | 102 | $1.4 million |
| 2009 | 47 | $364,366 |
| 2008 | 18 | $142,285 |
| 2007 | 34 | $701,095 |
| 2006 | 11 | $195,997 |
| 2005 | 5 | $26,016 |
| 2004 | 148 | $2.1 million |
| 2003 | 483 | $5.1 million |
| 2002 | 13 | $42,661 |
| 2001 | 36 | $234,024 |
| 2000 | 65 | $780,209 |
| 1999 | 3 | $1,577 |
| 1998 | 132 | $2.8 million |
| 1997 | 203 | $2.4 million |
| 1996 | 60 | $582,804 |
| 1995 | 37 | $463,592 |
| 1994 | 14 | $6,390 |
| 1993 | 3 | $8,791 |
| 1992 | 6 | $11,013 |
| 1991 | 20 | $81,758 |
| 1990 | 2 | $0 |
| 1989 | 56 | $76,980 |
| 1987 | 4 | $10,680 |
| 1986 | 7 | $19,317 |
| 1985 | 10 | $100,483 |
| 1984 | 1 | $0 |
| 1983 | 4 | $0 |
| 1982 | 34 | $53,028 |
| 1981 | 10 | $3,626 |
| 1980 | 36 | $91,106 |
| 1979 | 6 | $25,677 |
| 1978 | 136 | $266,878 |
Named flood events
| Event | Year | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer severe storms | 2016 | 322 | $18.4 million |
| Flooding | 1998 | 105 | $2.7 million |
| Flooding | 1997 | 160 | $2.2 million |
| Tropical Storm Ivan | 2004 | 48 | $1.0 million |
| West Virginia Flooding | 2022 | 38 | $982,639 |
| April 2007 Nor'easter | 2007 | 32 | $687,942 |
| Flooding | 1996 | 32 | $488,193 |
| Flooding | 1985 | 8 | $97,951 |
How many homes have flood insurance
FEMA counts 1,159 residential NFIP policies in Kanawha County, against 78,314 residential buildings (1.5%). Of the 10,173 residential buildings in high-risk flood zones (Special Flood Hazard Areas), 1,000 have an NFIP policy (10%). Private flood policies aren't in these counts.
Whether you're required to carry flood insurance depends on your flood zone and your mortgage. See do I need flood insurance?
What flood insurance costs in Kanawha County
On June 30, 2026, 1,261 NFIP flood insurance policies were in force in Kanawha County, West Virginia. For the 995 single-family homes among them, the typical (median) yearly cost was about $1,440; the average was $1,740.
| Rated flood zone | Policies | Typical yearly cost, single-family home | Average cost | Average building coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-risk zones (A and V) | 1,059 | $1,540 | $1,820 | $123,000 |
| Moderate- and low-risk zones (B, C and X) | 202 | $1,110 | $1,230 | $188,000 |
Cost here is what FEMA's data lists as the policy cost: the premium plus the reserve fund assessment, federal policy fee and HFIAA surcharge. It covers single-family homes only (not condos, apartments or businesses), with costs rounded to the nearest $10 and shown only where at least 20 homes back the figure. Your own price depends on your building and the coverage you choose; see how flood insurance is priced. Private flood insurance isn't included.
Flood-related disaster declarations
| Declaration | Declared | Event | Help for individuals |
|---|---|---|---|
| DR-4787-WV | May 24, 2024 | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides | Yes |
| DR-4783-WV | May 22, 2024 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides | Yes |
| DR-4756-WV | Jan 30, 2024 | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides | Yes |
| DR-4605-WV | May 20, 2021 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Yes |
| DR-4273-WV | Jun 25, 2016 | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides | Yes |
| DR-4210-WV | Mar 31, 2015 | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides | No |
| DR-1893-WV | Mar 29, 2010 | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides | Yes |
| DR-1558-WV | Sep 20, 2004 | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides | Yes |
| DR-1522-WV | Jun 7, 2004 | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides | Yes |
| DR-1500-WV | Nov 21, 2003 | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides | Yes |
| DR-1474-WV | Jun 21, 2003 | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides | Yes |
| DR-1455-WV | Mar 14, 2003 | Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snow, Heavy Rains, Flooding and Landslides | Yes |
| DR-1410-WV | May 5, 2002 | Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides | Yes |
| DR-1378-WV | Jun 3, 2001 | Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides | Yes |
| DR-1319-WV | Feb 28, 2000 | Flooding, Severe Storms, and Landslides | Yes |
Check your own address
County numbers can't tell you about a single building. Look up your property on FEMA's flood map, then read what your flood zone means. More counties: all of West Virginia.
Where these numbers come from
All figures on this page are calculated from FEMA's public OpenFEMA datasets:
- NFIP Redacted Claims (v3) (FEMA (OpenFEMA)): NFIP claims since 1978, downloaded 2026-10-08. Dollar amounts are what the NFIP paid, not adjusted for inflation. Claims filed under private flood insurance aren't included.
- NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (v1) (FEMA (OpenFEMA)): NFIP residential policy contracts in force (as of August 3, 2026) divided by FEMA's count of residential buildings from the National Structure Inventory. FEMA notes that inventory is incomplete in some counties, which can inflate the rate. Private flood policies aren't counted.
- NFIP Redacted Policies (v3) (FEMA (OpenFEMA)): NFIP policies in force on June 30, 2026 (a policy counts if its term covers that date and it wasn't cancelled), downloaded 2026-10-08. Policy counts are FEMA's insured units, so a condominium association policy counts each unit. Costs are FEMA's "policy cost" (premium plus reserve fund assessment, federal policy fee and HFIAA surcharge) for single-family homes only. Policies FEMA's data doesn't place in a county count toward the state only.
- Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2) (FEMA (OpenFEMA)): disaster declarations, downloaded 2026-10-08. We count a declaration as flood-related when FEMA lists flooding (or a dam or levee break) as its incident type or a designated incident type, or the declaration's title mentions flooding.
FEMA's redacted claims data doesn't identify properties, and FEMA notes that some records lack a county or flood zone. See how we use the data.