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Natural hazards · Breckenridge

Breckenridge, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Breckenridge comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 408 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Breckenridge?

29
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Breckenridge to be higher than in 29% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and inland flooding.

Cold waves39%Inland flooding38%Tornadoes9%Strong wind6%Everything else8%
By hazard

What Breckenridge faces

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

Cold waves

39% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places
Recorded about 16 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 40% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Strong wind

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Breckenridge flood?

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

408paid claims since 1978
$7.2Mpaid to owners
13homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Severe flooding: 11 claims, $7K
  • Winter storm: 4 claims, $10K
  • Not a named storm: 4 claims, $5K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (2) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Breckenridge isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Wilkin County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

42flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
1buildings floodproofed
1flood-prone homes bought out and moved
Disasters that hit Breckenridge

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BreckenridgeDeclared for Wilkin County only
2022

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

$10K to the City of Breckenridge for repairs
2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$7K to the City of Breckenridge for repairs
2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

17 households applied for aid $35K aid approved $456K to the City of Breckenridge for repairs
2006

Flooding

$23K to the City of Breckenridge for repairs
2005

Severe Winter Storm

$26K to the City of Breckenridge for repairs
2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$411K to the City of Breckenridge for repairs
Wilkin County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Breckenridge

Breckenridge and the towns around it

Breckenridge: High, mostly inland floodingWahpeton: Low, mostly cold wavesConnelly: High, mostly inland floodingCenter: Moderate, mostly cold wavesBrandrup: High, mostly inland floodingSunnyside: High, mostly inland floodingSummit: Moderate, mostly cold wavesDwight: Low, mostly cold wavesNordick: High, mostly inland floodingNilsen: High, mostly inland floodingMooreton: Moderate, mostly cold wavesBreckenridge: Low, mostly cold waves BreckenridgeBreckenridgeWahpetonConnellyCenter
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Breckenridgemostly inland floodingHigh
Connellymostly inland floodingHigh
Centermostly cold wavesModerate
Wahpetonmostly cold wavesLow
Breckenridgemostly cold wavesLow
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. Breckenridge covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Breckenridge’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Breckenridge. 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 Breckenridge total about $1.4M 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.

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