Natural hazards · Bedford

Bedford, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bedford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1979. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bedford?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bedford to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and drought.

Inland flooding30%Drought27%Heat waves13%Tornadoes12%Cold waves11%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Bedford faces

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

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Drought

27% of expected damage

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Heat waves

13% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bedford flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Bedford, from FEMA’s records.

5paid claims since 1979

$28Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19792026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Bedford

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Bedford itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Bedford.

Brought FEMA money into BedfordDeclared for Taylor County only

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

11 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2007

Severe Winter Storm

$30K to the City of Bedford for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

29 households applied for aid $40K aid approved $7K to the City of Bedford for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$4K to the City of Bedford for repairs

Taylor County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and ice storms.

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. Bedford 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 Bedford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Bedford. 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.

Bedford, IA natural hazards

How exposed is Bedford?

What Bedford faces

Inland flooding

Drought

Heat waves

Tornadoes

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Bedford flood?

Homes that flooded again and again

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

Severe Winter Storm

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby