Natural hazards · Bemidji

Bemidji, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bemidji comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bemidji?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bemidji to be higher than in 41% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding69%Cold waves17%Tornadoes6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Bemidji faces

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

Inland flooding

69% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

17% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about 16 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bemidji flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Bemidji.

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Beltrami County.

Disasters that hit Bemidji

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BemidjiDeclared for Beltrami County only

2022

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$13K to the City of Bemidji for repairs

2018

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

$19K to the City of Bemidji for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

33 households applied for aid $72K aid approved $44K to the City of Bemidji for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes

$750 to the City of Bemidji for repairs

Beltrami County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Bemidji

Bemidji and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bemidjimostly inland floodingHigh

Northernmostly inland floodingHigh

Turtle Rivermostly inland floodingModerate

Bemidjimostly inland floodingModerate

Grant Valleymostly inland floodingLow

Frohnmostly inland floodingLow

Ecklesmostly 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. Bemidji covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bemidji’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Bemidji. 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 Bemidji total about $5.5M 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.