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Natural hazards · Cherokee

Cherokee, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cherokee comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 126 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Cherokee?

53
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cherokee to be higher than in 53% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding50%Tornadoes24%Cold waves9%Hail6%Strong wind5%Everything else6%
By hazard

What Cherokee faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

24% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Cold waves

9% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places
Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Strong wind

5% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Cherokee flood?

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

126paid claims since 1979
$1.7Mpaid to owners
27homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • June Midwest Flooding: 14 claims, $667K
  • Midwest Flooding: 14 claims, $65K
  • March 2019 Midwest Flooding: 7 claims, $73K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Cherokee isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Cherokee County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

375flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
22flood-prone homes bought out and moved
Disasters that hit Cherokee

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CherokeeDeclared for Cherokee County only
2024

Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

213 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $8.3M to the City of Cherokee for repairs
2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

$1.4M to the City of Cherokee for repairs
2018

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$210K to the City of Cherokee for repairs
2014

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$45K to the City of Cherokee for repairs
2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$160K to the City of Cherokee for repairs
2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

286 households applied for aid $386K aid approved $238K to the City of Cherokee for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm

$16K to the City of Cherokee for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$14K to the City of Cherokee for repairs
2007

Snow

$12K to the City of Cherokee for repairs
Cherokee County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
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. Cherokee covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cherokee’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Cherokee. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Cherokee total about $1.6M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

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.

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