Water damage restoration · Hilliard, Ohio
Water damage restoration in Hilliard, OH
Burst pipe, failed water heater, or storm water? Hilliard-area ZIPs: 7 flood claims since 1979[1]; 21% of homes built before 1980[2]. Request help from local restoration crews. Hilliard, in Franklin County — ZIP 43026, counts 38,898 residents (2025 estimate)[3].
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The Hilliard water damage picture in brief
- Population (2025 est.)
- 38,898[3]+4.7% since 2020
- County
- Franklin[3]
- Land area
- 14.2 sq mi[4]
- Flood-insurance (NFIP) claims, local ZIPs
- 7 since 1979[1]$7,093 paid across 4 claims · ZIP 43026
- Flood & flash-flood reports within 10 mi
- 29[5]2016–2025 · latest Apr 2, 2024
- Winter-storm & freeze days, franklin zone
- 68[5]2016–2025; hard freezes burst pipes
- Federal disaster declarations incl. flooding, Franklin Co.
- 4[6]of 14 total declarations
- Homes built before 1980
- 21%[2]the 4th-lowest share of the 15 Columbus-area suburbs we cover
- Households renting
- 31%[2]2020–2024
Reading the Hilliard data for water damage
Hilliard counts 38,898 residents (2025 estimate), growing at a middle-of-the-pack 4.7% since 2020[3]. On the map that's 14.2 square miles holding 2,737 residents per square mile, the 7th densest of the suburbs here; it sits entirely in Franklin County, with ZIP code 43026[4].
Hilliard mixes 27% of homes built since 2010 and 21% before 1980[2]: new supply lines and water heaters in one house, aging pipe and original valves in the next — so where a leak starts depends a lot on the address.
One ZIP code covers the whole city: 43026[7].
Nearest of the other suburbs we track: Upper Arlington (4.6 mi E), Dublin (5.5 mi N) and Worthington (8.4 mi NE)[4].
7 flood-insurance claims have come from Hilliard-area ZIP codes (43026) since 1979, and $7,093 has been paid on them (about $1,773 per paid claim)[1]. 1979 was the worst year, with 4 claims. That is the fewest of the 15 Columbus-area suburbs we cover; for comparison, Upper Arlington (76), Dublin (26), and Worthington (60). Most jobs here start inside the house. Of the 4 claims rated in a flood zone, 0 were in FEMA's high-risk areas (zones A or V) and 4 outside them (zones B, C or X)[1][8] — flooding here is not only a high-risk-zone problem.
By month of loss, Hilliard-area flood claims cluster in January (1), June (2), and September (4) — 7 of 7 dated claims[1].
Within 10 miles of central Hilliard, weather observers filed 29 flood, flash-flood or heavy-rain reports in 2016–2025 (8 flash floods)[5]. Countywide: 4 flood declarations since 2000, latest Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides (DR-1580, 2004)[6]. Nearby: Upper Arlington (46), Dublin (19), and Worthington (43).
21% of Hilliard's 14,931 housing units predate 1980[2] — the 4th-lowest share of the 15 Columbus-area suburbs we cover (Upper Arlington (84%), Dublin (11%), and Worthington (83%)). In newer houses, check fittings, washer hoses and the water-heater pan first — and any builder warranty.
69% of Hilliard households own their home[2], so most claims and rebuilds here are coordinated by the owner.
Among the 15 suburbs tracked here, Hilliard stands out for the fewest NFIP flood claims (7)[1].
How a leak spreads inside a wall
Water on the move: it spreads across floors and wicks upward into drywall until it is stopped.
Hilliard storm calendar
Within 10 miles of Hilliard, 2016–2025: 8 flash-flood reports and 21 flood reports[5]. Peak: 69% in May, June, and August. Busiest year 2020 (7); 2 of 10 years had none. Busiest month May 2020 (4). Latest: flood report, Apr 2, 2024, 9.4 mi out.
| Month | Flash flood | Flood | Heavy rain | All |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar | 1 | 1 | – | 2 |
| Apr | – | 2 | – | 2 |
| May | 1 | 6 | – | 7 |
| Jun | 3 | 2 | – | 5 |
| Jul | 3 | 2 | – | 5 |
| Aug | – | 8 | – | 8 |
water damage help in Hilliard: what to do next
Requests go to Water damage restoration contractors serving the Hilliard area — ZIP code 43026.
Before you call: what a restoration crew does first
Shared walls and ceilings: Hilliard homes by building type
36%[2] of Hilliard's homes share walls, floors or ceilings with a neighbour (multi-unit buildings alone: 24%, the 7th-highest multi-unit share of the 15 Columbus-area suburbs we cover). Water crosses those lines: in an attached or stacked unit, tell the neighbour and the association or landlord right away, and check whose policy covers which part of the damage.
After detached houses, the biggest group is attached house (townhouse, rowhouse): 1,713 of 14,931 housing units[2].
| Building type | Units | Share | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached house | 9,592 | 64.2% | ±405 |
| Attached house (townhouse, rowhouse) | 1,713 | 11.5% | ±369 |
| Duplex (2 units) | 91 | 0.6% | ±97 |
| 3–4 units | 768 | 5.1% | ±277 |
| 5–9 units | 477 | 3.2% | ±146 |
| 10–19 units | 686 | 4.6% | ±265 |
| 20–49 units | 676 | 4.5% | ±238 |
| 50 or more units | 898 | 6.0% | ±213 |
| Mobile home | 21 | 0.1% | ±31 |
| Boat, RV, van, etc. | 9 | 0.1% | ±16 |
Margins of error are the Census Bureau’s 90% intervals; small categories in small cities are rough.
The Hilliard numbers behind this page
| Measure | Hilliard | Median of 15 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFIP flood claims (area ZIPs) | 7 | 68 | 61 fewer |
| Built before 1980 | 21% | 42% | 21 pts lower |
| Flood reports (10 mi) | 29 | 35 | 6 fewer |
| Median home value | $385,100 | $339,600 | 13% higher |
| Renter-occupied | 31% | 29% | 2 pts higher |
| Owner-occupied | 69% | 71% | 2 pts lower |
| Median year built | 1997 | 1985 | 12 years newer |
Largest differences first. Medians are the middle value across the covered Columbus-area suburbs, from the same sources.
| City | NFIP claims | Flood reports ≤10 mi | Freeze days | Built before 1980 | Renting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilliard | 7 | 29 | 68 | 21% | 31% |
| Upper Arlington 4.6 mi | 76 | 46 | 68 | 84% | 21% |
| Dublin 5.5 mi | 26 | 19 | 68 | 11% | 23% |
| Worthington 8.4 mi | 60 | 43 | 68 | 83% | 17% |
| Powell 10.0 mi | 32 | 32 | 55 | 4% | 12% |
| Grove City 12.6 mi | 89 | 44 | 68 | 33% | 29% |
| ZIP | Claims | Paid | Busiest year | Outside high-risk zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43026 | 7 | $7,093 | 1979 (4) | 4 of 4 |
ZIPs extend past city limits. Outside high-risk zones: claims rated in zone B, C or X, of the claims that carry a zone.
| Year | Claims |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 1986 | 1 |
| 1979 | 4 |
| Month | Claims |
|---|---|
| January | 1 |
| June | 2 |
| September | 4 |
| Date | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 2, 2024 | Flood | 9.4 mi |
| Aug 21, 2022 | Flood | 9.9 mi |
| Aug 21, 2022 | Flood | 6.8 mi |
| Aug 21, 2022 | Flood | 7.8 mi |
| Jul 17, 2022 | Flood | 7.1 mi |
| Jul 6, 2022 | Flash Flood | 9.5 mi |
| May 14, 2022 | Flood | 6.8 mi |
| Aug 25, 2021 | Flood | 8.2 mi |
| ZIP (ZCTA) | Share of Hilliard's land | Share of the ZIP inside the city |
|---|---|---|
| 43026 | 95% | 39% |
Hilliard water damage questions
Do I need flood insurance in Hilliard?
Homeowners policies exclude outside floodwater[9], and Hilliard-area ZIPs have 0 NFIP claims in just the last ten years[1].
Which Hilliard ZIP codes do these crews cover?
43026[7], in Franklin County. Nearby pages: Upper Arlington (4.6 mi), Dublin (5.5 mi), and Worthington (8.4 mi)[4].
When was the last flood report near Hilliard?
Apr 2, 2024: a flood report 9.4 miles from the city center[5].
My Hilliard home is fairly new — could the plumbing fixtures and water heater still be under warranty?
Possibly: 27% of Hilliard's housing units were built in 2010 or later[2], the highest share of the 15 Columbus-area suburbs we cover. Check your closing paperwork for warranties before paying for a repair.
Sources
- OpenFEMA NFIP claims
- Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year (keyless bulk)
- Census population estimates, Vintage 2025
- Census Gazetteer 2025
- NOAA Storm Events Database
- OpenFEMA disaster declarations
- Census 2020 ZCTA–place file
- FEMA, Flood Zones (link unverified)
- FEMA FloodSmart (link unverified)
Data pulled Sep 28, 2026. Full citations and method.