Natural hazards · Nashua

Nashua, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Nashua comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1999. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Nashua?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Nashua to be higher than in 64% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding50%Tornadoes18%Drought10%Hail8%Cold waves7%Strong wind6%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Nashua faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 15 years in the area

Drought

10% of expected damage

Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Hail

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Nashua flood?

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

9paid claims since 1999

$225Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19992026

Biggest named events

Storm: 5 claims, $221K

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

Insurance rates: Chickasaw County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2storm safe rooms built

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Nashua

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NashuaDeclared for Chickasaw County only

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

$1.0M to the City of Nashua for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

51 households applied for aid $111K aid approved $685K to the City of Nashua for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$3K to the City of Nashua for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

1999

Severe Storms and Flooding

$25K to the City of Nashua for repairs

Chickasaw 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. Nashua 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 Nashua’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Nashua. 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.

Nashua, IA natural hazards

How exposed is Nashua?

What Nashua faces

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Drought

Hail

Cold waves

Strong wind

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Nashua flood?

Biggest named events

Homes that flooded again and again

What’s been done with FEMA grants

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms and Flooding

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Winter Storms

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Storms and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby