Natural hazards · Creston

Creston, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Creston comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1996. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Creston?

30
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Creston to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and inland flooding.

Cold waves39%Inland flooding22%Heat waves15%Tornadoes13%Everything else11%
By hazard

What Creston faces

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

Cold waves

39% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

22% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

15% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Creston flood?

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

10paid claims since 1996
$133Kpaid to owners
2homes flooded more than once
19962026

Biggest named events

  • Late spring storms: 1 claim, $1K

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. Creston isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Union County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Creston

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CrestonDeclared for Union County only
2024

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

56 households applied for aid $41K aid approved
2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

73 households applied for aid $127K aid approved
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

623 households applied for aid $853K aid approved $112K to the City of Creston for repairs
2007

Severe Winter Storm

$52K to the City of Creston for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$9K to the City of Creston for repairs
2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

23 households applied for aid $49K aid approved $20K to the City of Creston for repairs
Union County has had 19 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. Creston covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Creston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Creston. 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 Creston total about $5.9M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01