Natural hazards · Rockford

Rockford, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rockford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2008. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Rockford?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rockford to be higher than in 77% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and drought.

Inland flooding44%Drought26%Tornadoes12%Hail8%Cold waves7%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Rockford faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Drought

26% of expected damage

Recorded about 24 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Hail

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Rockford flood?

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

3paid claims since 2008

$114Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20082026

Biggest named events

Storm: 3 claims, $114K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Floyd County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

12flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Rockford

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RockfordDeclared for Floyd County only

2018

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

$58K to the City of Rockford for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

38 households applied for aid $74K aid approved $211K to the City of Rockford for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$23K to the City of Rockford for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $8K aid approved $8K to the City of Rockford for repairs

1999

Severe Storms and Flooding

$84K to the City of Rockford for repairs

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

Rockford, IA natural hazards

How exposed is Rockford?

What Rockford faces

Inland flooding

Drought

Tornadoes

Hail

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Rockford flood?

Biggest named events

What’s been done with FEMA grants

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, 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