Natural hazards · Clinton

Clinton, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Clinton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 34 claims here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Clinton?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Clinton to be higher than in 40% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding46%Tornadoes20%Strong wind11%Cold waves9%Hail6%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Clinton faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 17% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Clinton flood?

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

34paid claims since 1979

$250Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Severe flooding: 3 claims, $36K
Midwest Flooding: 1 claim, $4K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Clinton County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

17flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Clinton

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ClintonDeclared for Clinton County only

2020

Severe Storms

419 households applied for aid $111K aid approved $286K to the City of Clinton for repairs

2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

$283K to the City of Clinton for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $12K to the City of Clinton for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $5K aid approved

2001

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$103K to the City of Clinton for repairs

Clinton County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Clinton

Clinton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Camanchemostly inland floodingHigh

Low Moormostly inland floodingHigh

Garden Plainmostly inland floodingModerate

Clintonmostly inland floodingModerate

Fultonmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Clinton covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Clinton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Clinton. 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 Clinton total about $9.9M 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.