Natural hazards · La Crosse

La Crosse, FL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in La Crosse comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is La Crosse?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in La Crosse to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding45%Hurricanes30%Tornadoes8%Wildfire7%Everything else10%

By hazard

What La Crosse faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

45% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

30% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 41 years in the area

Wildfire

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce stormsAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does La Crosse flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in La Crosse.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. La Crosse isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Alachua County.

Disasters that hit La Crosse

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in La Crosse itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of La Crosse.

Brought FEMA money into La CrosseDeclared for Alachua County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

6 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2024

Hurricane Debby

1 household applied for aid $300 aid approved

2023

Hurricane Idalia

1 household applied for aid

2017

Hurricane Irma

27 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2008

Tropical Storm Fay

11 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Jeanne

22 households applied for aid $22K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Frances

27 households applied for aid $48K aid approved

Alachua County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. La Crosse is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to La Crosse’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of La Crosse. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); 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. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.