Natural hazards · Elgin

Elgin, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elgin comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 19 claims here since 1991. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Elgin?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elgin to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding69%Tornadoes9%Hail6%Cold waves6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Elgin faces

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

Inland flooding

69% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Elgin flood?

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

19paid claims since 1991

$170Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19912026

Biggest named events

Midwest Flooding: 3 claims, $8K
Storm: 2 claims, $8K

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. Elgin isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Fayette County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Elgin

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElginDeclared for Fayette County only

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

14 households applied for aid $16K aid approved $43K to the City of Elgin for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $5K to the City of Elgin for repairs

1999

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$11K to the City of Elgin for repairs

Fayette County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe 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. Elgin 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 Elgin’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Elgin. 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.

Elgin, IA natural hazards

How exposed is Elgin?

What Elgin faces

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Hail

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Elgin flood?

Biggest named events

Homes that flooded again and again

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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