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Natural hazards · Colfax

Colfax, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Colfax comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 18 claims here since 1984. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Colfax?

45
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Colfax to be higher than in 45% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding43%Tornadoes18%Drought15%Strong wind9%Hail6%Everything else9%
By hazard

What Colfax faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Drought

15% of expected damage
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Strong wind

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Colfax flood?

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

18paid claims since 1984
$532Kpaid to owners
3homes flooded more than once
19842026

Biggest named events

  • Storm: 2 claims, $12K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

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

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ColfaxDeclared for Jasper County only
2024

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

16 households applied for aid $17K aid approved $86K to the City of Colfax for repairs
2020

Severe Storms

24 households applied for aid $11K aid approved
2014

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

$17K to the City of Colfax for repairs
2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$39K to the City of Colfax for repairs
2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

240 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved $271K to the City of Colfax for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

41 households applied for aid $77K aid approved $156K to the City of Colfax for repairs
2007

Severe Winter Storms

$33K to the City of Colfax for repairs
2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $3K to the City of Colfax for repairs
Jasper County has had 17 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. Colfax 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 Colfax’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Colfax. 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.

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