Natural hazards · Iowa

Iowa, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Iowa comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 126 claims here since 1980. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Iowa?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Iowa to be higher than in 90% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding40%Hurricanes39%Tornadoes7%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Iowa faces

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

Inland flooding

40% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

39% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Iowa flood?

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

126paid claims since 1980

$4.9Mpaid to owners

21homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Delta: 49 claims, $2.3M
Hurricane Harvey: 17 claims, $859K
2021 Mid-Spring Severe Storms: 4 claims, $86K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (7) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Calcasieu Parish.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

7homes raised above flood level

1buildings floodproofed

1buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Iowa

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into IowaDeclared for Calcasieu Parish only

2021

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

41 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

35 households applied for aid $26K aid approved $16K to the Town of Iowa for repairs

2020

Hurricane Delta

949 households applied for aid $1.0M aid approved $28K to the Town of Iowa for repairs

2020

Hurricane Laura

4,330 households applied for aid $7.2M aid approved $3.8M to the Town of Iowa for repairs

2008

Hurricane Ike

753 households applied for aid $136K aid approved $19K to the Town of Iowa for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

751 households applied for aid $124K aid approved $20K to the Town of Iowa for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $459 aid approved

2005

Hurricane Rita

3,700 households applied for aid $8.0M aid approved $1.0M to the Town of Iowa for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

36 households applied for aid $45K aid approved

2002

Hurricane Lili

$9K to the Town of Iowa for repairs

Calcasieu Parish has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes 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. Iowa covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Iowa’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Iowa. 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 Iowa total about $2.3M 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.