Natural hazards · Cottage Grove

Cottage Grove, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cottage Grove comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1997. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cottage Grove?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding36%Tornadoes25%Cold waves14%Strong wind13%Hail6%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Cottage Grove faces

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

Inland flooding

36% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

25% of expected damage

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

Cold waves

14% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 25% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Strong wind

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% 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 Cottage Grove flood?

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

4paid claims since 1997

$18Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19972026

Biggest named events

Severe flooding: 1 claim, $1K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Washington County.

Disasters that hit Cottage Grove

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Cottage GroveDeclared for Washington County only

2019

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$35K to the City of Cottage Grove for repairs

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$15K to the City of Cottage Grove for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$874K to the City of Cottage Grove for repairs

Washington County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Cottage Grove

Cottage Grove and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Denmarkmostly inland floodingModerate

Niningermostly inland floodingModerate

Rosemountmostly inland floodingLow

Cottage Grovemostly inland floodingLow

Inver Grove Heightsmostly inland floodingLow

Woodburymostly inland floodingLow

St. Paul Parkmostly inland floodingLow

Grey Cloud Islandmostly 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. Cottage Grove covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cottage Grove’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Cottage Grove. 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 Cottage Grove total about $11.3M 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.