Natural hazards · Bergen

Bergen, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bergen comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1997. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bergen?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bergen to be higher than in 37% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding42%Cold waves20%Tornadoes15%Strong wind10%Hail7%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Bergen faces

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

Inland flooding

42% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

20% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Strong wind

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hail

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Bergen flood?

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

4paid claims since 1997

$41Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19972026

Biggest named events

Severe flooding: 1 claim, $6K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: McLeod County.

Disasters that hit Bergen

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BergenDeclared for McLeod County only

2019

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$14K to the Township of Bergen for repairs

2014

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$6K to the Township of Bergen for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$3K to the Township of Bergen for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes

$5K to the Township of Bergen for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$5K to the Township of Bergen for repairs

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

Around Bergen

Bergen and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Camdenmostly inland floodingModerate

Bergenmostly inland floodingLow

Helenmostly inland floodingLow

Rich Valleymostly inland floodingLow

Winstedmostly 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. Bergen covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bergen’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Bergen. 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 Bergen 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.