Natural hazards · Baxter

Baxter, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Baxter comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2017. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Baxter?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding49%Cold waves31%Tornadoes8%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Baxter 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 every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

31% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about 14 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Baxter flood?

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

3paid claims since 2017

$15Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20172026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Crow Wing County.

Disasters that hit Baxter

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BaxterDeclared for Crow Wing County only

2022

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$13K to the City of Baxter for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$13K to the City of Baxter for repairs

Crow Wing County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Baxter

Baxter and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Crow Wingmostly inland floodingHigh

Fort Ripleymostly inland floodingHigh

Sylvanmostly inland floodingModerate

Brainerdmostly inland floodingLow

Baxtermostly 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. Baxter covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Baxter’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Baxter. 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 Baxter 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.