Natural hazards · Lakeland

Lakeland, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lakeland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 72 claims here since 1979. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lakeland?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lakeland to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding59%Tornadoes18%Cold waves8%Strong wind8%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Lakeland faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 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 Lakeland flood?

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

72paid claims since 1979

$692Kpaid to owners

9homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Severe flooding: 13 claims, $191K
Not a named storm: 4 claims, $8K
Midwest Flooding: 3 claims, $11K

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. Lakeland 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Lakeland

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LakelandDeclared for Washington County only

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$21K to the City of Lakeland for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$6K to the City of Lakeland for repairs

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

Around Lakeland

Lakeland and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lakelandmostly inland floodingHigh

Lakeland Shoresmostly inland floodingHigh

Lake St. Croix Beachmostly inland floodingHigh

Aftonmostly inland floodingModerate

West Lakelandmostly inland floodingModerate

Troymostly inland floodingLow

Hudsonmostly inland floodingLow

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. Lakeland covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lakeland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lakeland. 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 Lakeland total about $1.7M 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.