Natural hazards · Higdem

Higdem, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Higdem comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Higdem?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Higdem to be higher than in 88% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding57%Cold waves24%Hail6%Drought5%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Higdem faces

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

Inland flooding

57% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

24% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about 21 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Drought

5% of expected damage

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Higdem flood?

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Polk County.

Disasters that hit Higdem

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HigdemDeclared for Polk County only

2022

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$43K to the Township of Higdem for repairs

2019

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$24K to the Township of Higdem for repairs

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$56K to the Township of Higdem for repairs

2010

Flooding

$32K to the Township of Higdem for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

$57K to the Township of Higdem for repairs

2006

Flooding

$18K to the Township of Higdem for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$4K to the Township of Higdem for repairs

1999

Severe Ice Storm and Flooding

$1K to the Township of Higdem for repairs

Polk County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Higdem

Higdem and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Higdemmostly inland floodingVery high

Esthermostly inland floodingVery high

Sandsvillemostly inland floodingVery high

Oak Parkmostly inland floodingHigh

Turtle Rivermostly 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. Higdem is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Higdem’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Higdem. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.