Natural hazards · Gilbert

Gilbert, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Gilbert comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2008. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Gilbert?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Gilbert to be higher than in 66% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding55%Tornadoes21%Drought14%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Gilbert faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 66 years in the area

Drought

14% of expected damage

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Gilbert flood?

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

2paid claims since 2008

$52Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20082026

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

Insurance rates: Story County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Gilbert

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GilbertDeclared for Story County only

2020

Severe Storms

11 households applied for aid $22K to the City of Gilbert for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

46 households applied for aid $123K aid approved $140K to the City of Gilbert for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $862 aid approved

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$12K to the City of Gilbert for repairs

Story County has had 20 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. Gilbert covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Gilbert’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Gilbert. 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 Gilbert total about $858K 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.