Natural hazards · Brainerd

Brainerd, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Brainerd comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2001. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Brainerd?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding52%Cold waves32%Tornadoes6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Brainerd faces

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

Inland flooding

52% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

32% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 14 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% 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 Brainerd flood?

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

1paid claims since 2001

$15Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20012026

Biggest named events

Severe flooding: 1 claim, $15K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Brainerd 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 Brainerd

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BrainerdDeclared for Crow Wing County only

2022

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

$41K to the City of Brainerd for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$231K to the City of Brainerd for repairs

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

Around Brainerd

Brainerd and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Crow Wingmostly inland floodingHigh

Long Lakemostly inland floodingHigh

Brainerdmostly inland floodingLow

Oak Lawnmostly 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. Brainerd covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Brainerd’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Brainerd. 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 Brainerd total about $4.4M 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.