Natural hazards · Vinton

Vinton, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Vinton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 63 claims here since 1982. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Vinton?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Vinton to be higher than in 79% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding74%Tornadoes10%Strong wind8%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Vinton faces

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

Inland flooding

74% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 89 years in the area

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Vinton flood?

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

63paid claims since 1982

$1.4Mpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

Storm: 26 claims, $985K
Midwest Flooding: 1 claim, $4K

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

Insurance rates: Benton County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

33flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Vinton

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into VintonDeclared for Benton County only

2020

Severe Storms

80 households applied for aid $51K aid approved $52K to the City of Vinton for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

$81K to the City of Vinton for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$19K to the City of Vinton for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$309K to the City of Vinton for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

304 households applied for aid $1.7M aid approved $1.1M to the City of Vinton for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$9K to the City of Vinton for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

23 households applied for aid $49K aid approved

Benton County has had 14 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. Vinton covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Vinton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Vinton. 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 Vinton total about $3.2M 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.