Natural hazards · Benson

Benson, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Benson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Benson?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Benson to be higher than in 69% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding55%Cold waves24%Heat waves9%Tornadoes5%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Benson faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

24% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 13 times a year in the area

Heat waves

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Benson flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Swift County.

Disasters that hit Benson

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BensonDeclared for Swift County only

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

$4K to the City of Benson for repairs

2022

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

$112K to the City of Benson for repairs

2019

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$15K to the City of Benson for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$206K to the City of Benson for repairs

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$30K to the City of Benson for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$37K to the City of Benson for repairs

Swift County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Benson

Benson and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bensonmostly inland floodingHigh

Torningmostly inland floodingHigh

Six Mile Grovemostly inland floodingHigh

Bensonmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Benson covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Benson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Benson. 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 Benson total about $2.4M 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.