Natural hazards · Princeton

Princeton, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Princeton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 25 claims here since 1986. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Princeton?

High

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding67%Drought10%Everything else23%

By hazard

What Princeton faces

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

Inland flooding

67% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Drought

10% of expected damage

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce 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 Princeton flood?

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

25paid claims since 1986

$163Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19862026

Biggest named events

Severe flooding: 8 claims, $102K
Midwest Flooding: 4 claims, $34K
March 2019 Midwest Flooding: 1 claim, $1K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Princeton isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Scott County.

Disasters that hit Princeton

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PrincetonDeclared for Scott County only

2020

Severe Storms

3 households applied for aid

2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

10 households applied for aid $12K aid approved $167K to the City of Princeton for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $48K to the City of Princeton for repairs

2001

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$39K to the City of Princeton for repairs

Scott County has had 17 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. Princeton 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 Princeton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Princeton. 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.