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Natural hazards · Rochester

Rochester, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rochester comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2004. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Rochester?

18
Very low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rochester to be higher than in 18% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding54%Tornadoes22%Cold waves15%Everything else9%
By hazard

What Rochester faces

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

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Cold waves

15% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Rochester flood?

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

1paid claims since 2004
$188Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
20042026
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Rochester isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Oakland County.
Disasters that hit Rochester

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RochesterDeclared for Oakland County only
2023

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

18 households applied for aid $44K aid approved
2021

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

35 households applied for aid $17K aid approved
2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $2K aid approved
2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

18 households applied for aid $15K aid approved
2000

Snow

$19K to the City of Rochester for repairs
1999

Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99

$12K to the City of Rochester for repairs
Oakland County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Rochester

Rochester and the towns around it

Rochester Hills: Very low, mostly inland floodingShelby: Low, mostly inland floodingOakland: Very low, mostly inland floodingAuburn Hills: Very low, mostly inland floodingTroy: Very low, mostly inland floodingOrion: Very low, mostly inland floodingUtica: Low, mostly inland floodingSterling Heights: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMacomb: High, mostly inland floodingWashington: Low, mostly inland floodingRochester: Very low, mostly inland flooding RochesterRochester HillsShelby
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Shelbymostly inland floodingLow
Rochestermostly inland floodingVery low
Rochester Hillsmostly 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. Rochester covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Rochester’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Rochester. 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 Rochester total about $3.9M 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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