Natural hazards · Keokuk

Keokuk, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Keokuk comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 34 claims here since 1992. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Keokuk?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Keokuk to be higher than in 62% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding59%Tornadoes13%Heat waves10%Hail6%Strong wind6%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Keokuk faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

10% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Keokuk flood?

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

34paid claims since 1992

$1.5Mpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19922026

Biggest named events

Midwest Flooding: 10 claims, $608K
Severe flooding: 6 claims, $610K

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

Insurance rates: Lee County.

Disasters that hit Keokuk

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into KeokukDeclared for Lee County only

2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

$675K to the City of Keokuk for repairs

2018

Severe Storm and Tornadoes

$88K to the City of Keokuk for repairs

2014

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

$92K to the City of Keokuk for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$30K to the City of Keokuk for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$111K to the City of Keokuk for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

192 households applied for aid $310K aid approved $131K to the City of Keokuk for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

8 households applied for aid $22K aid approved $3.7M to the City of Keokuk for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$9K to the City of Keokuk for repairs

2001

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$21K to the City of Keokuk for repairs

Lee County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Keokuk

Keokuk and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Keokukmostly inland floodingHigh

Montebellomostly inland floodingHigh

Hamiltonmostly inland floodingHigh

Sanduskymostly 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. Keokuk covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Keokuk’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Keokuk. 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 Keokuk total about $3.5M 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.