Safest places to live in West Virginia from natural disasters
The lowest natural-disaster risk in West Virginia is in Barbour County, Grant County, Hancock County, where FEMA rates few or no severe perils. The most exposed county is Greenbrier County, driven by landslide. This page ranks every West Virginia county by physical peril exposure, from official FEMA National Risk Index data.
Lowest-risk counties in West Virginia
| County | Physical risk | Top severe peril |
|---|---|---|
| Barbour County | Low | none rated high |
| Grant County | Low | none rated high |
| Hancock County | Low | none rated high |
| Jefferson County | Low | none rated high |
| Morgan County | Low | none rated high |
| Pleasants County | Low | none rated high |
| Preston County | Low | none rated high |
| Taylor County | Low | none rated high |
Highest-risk counties in West Virginia
| County | Physical risk | Driven by |
|---|---|---|
| Greenbrier County | Elevated | landslide |
| Kanawha County | Elevated | riverine flooding |
| Berkeley County | Low | riverine flooding |
| Boone County | Low | landslide |
| Braxton County | Low | landslide |
Dominant perils in West Virginia
Across West Virginia, the perils most often rated Relatively High or higher by FEMA are landslide, riverine flooding. County rankings reflect physical exposure, not dollar value, so a county can rank low here even if it is densely developed. For a specific property, the flood zone and exact peril ratings matter more than the county summary.
Look up any West Virginia address on the Safe Havens map, or read how Plattow scores risk and FEMA flood zones. See all states on the states index.