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Natural hazards · Detroit

Detroit, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Detroit comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 379 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Detroit?

24
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Detroit to be higher than in 24% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding59%Cold waves15%Tornadoes11%Heat waves8%Everything else8%
By hazard

What Detroit faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Heat waves

8% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Detroit flood?

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

379paid claims since 1979
$3.0Mpaid to owners
68homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • 2026-04-Flooding: 1 claim, $28K
  • Hurricane Ike: 1 claim, $1K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Detroit is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Wayne County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2buildings floodproofed
Disasters that hit Detroit

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DetroitDeclared for Wayne County only
2023

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

89,602 households applied for aid $284M aid approved
2021

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

66,077 households applied for aid $132M aid approved $7.4M to the City of Detroit for repairs
2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

73,751 households applied for aid $93.9M aid approved $1.0M to the City of Detroit for repairs
2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$56K to the City of Detroit for repairs
2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

75,264 households applied for aid $32.4M aid approved
1999

Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99

$766K to the City of Detroit for repairs
Wayne County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Detroit

Detroit and the towns around it

Dearborn: Low, mostly inland floodingRiver Rouge: Low, mostly inland floodingGrosse Pointe Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingDearborn Heights: Low, mostly inland floodingMelvindale: Low, mostly inland floodingHarper Woods: Very high, mostly inland floodingRedford: Very low, mostly inland floodingLincoln Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWarren: Low, mostly inland floodingGrosse Pointe Woods: Very high, mostly inland floodingHazel Park: Low, mostly inland floodingEcorse: Moderate, mostly inland floodingAllen Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGrosse Pointe: High, mostly inland floodingInkster: Very low, mostly inland floodingWestland: Very low, mostly inland floodingTaylor: Low, mostly inland floodingEastpointe: Low, mostly inland floodingLivonia: Very low, mostly inland floodingWyandotte: Low, mostly inland floodingSouthgate: Low, mostly inland floodingRoseville: Low, mostly inland floodingMadison Heights: Low, mostly inland floodingSterling Heights: Moderate, mostly inland floodingVillage of Grosse Pointe Shores: High, mostly inland floodingGrosse Pointe Farms: High, mostly inland floodingFerndale: Very low, mostly inland floodingRoyal Oak: Low, mostly inland floodingDetroit: Low, mostly inland flooding DetroitDearbornRiver RougeGrosse Pointe ParkDearborn HeightsMelvindaleHarper WoodsRedfordLincoln ParkWarrenGrosse Pointe WoodsHazel ParkEcorse
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Grosse Pointe Woodsmostly inland floodingVery high
Harper Woodsmostly inland floodingVery high
Grosse Pointe Parkmostly inland floodingModerate
Lincoln Parkmostly inland floodingModerate
Ecorsemostly inland floodingModerate
Dearbornmostly inland floodingLow
River Rougemostly inland floodingLow
Warrenmostly inland floodingLow
Melvindalemostly inland floodingLow
Dearborn Heightsmostly inland floodingLow
Detroitmostly inland floodingLow
Hazel Parkmostly inland floodingLow
Redfordmostly 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. Detroit covers 273 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Detroit’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Detroit. 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 Detroit total about $142M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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