Natural hazards · Benton Harbor

Benton Harbor, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Benton Harbor comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1985. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Benton Harbor?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Benton Harbor to be higher than in 16% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding49%Cold waves20%Tornadoes11%Strong wind9%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Benton Harbor faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

20% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Benton Harbor flood?

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

2paid claims since 1985

$33Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19852026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Berrien County.

Disasters that hit Benton Harbor

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Benton HarborDeclared for Berrien County only

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$4K to the City of Benton Harbor for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

119 households applied for aid $46K aid approved

2000

Snow

$1K to the City of Benton Harbor for repairs

1999

Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99

$7K to the City of Benton Harbor for repairs

Berrien County has had 10 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and winter storms.

Around Benton Harbor

Benton Harbor and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

St. Josephmostly inland floodingLow

Bentonmostly inland floodingLow

Benton Harbormostly inland floodingVery low

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. Benton Harbor covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Benton Harbor’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Benton Harbor. 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 Benton Harbor total about $1.6M 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.