Natural hazards · Mankato

Mankato, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Mankato comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 23 claims here since 1979. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Mankato?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Mankato to be higher than in 26% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and inland flooding.

Cold waves36%Inland flooding29%Tornadoes13%Strong wind12%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Mankato faces

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

Cold waves

36% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 20% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce 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 Mankato flood?

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

23paid claims since 1979

$483Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

June Midwest Flooding: 4 claims, $298K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Blue Earth County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

7flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Mankato

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MankatoDeclared for Blue Earth County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

369 households applied for aid $1.4M aid approved $875K to the City of Mankato for repairs

2019

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$299K to the City of Mankato for repairs

2018

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

$158K to the City of Mankato for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

65 households applied for aid $89K aid approved $60K to the City of Mankato for repairs

2014

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$524K to the City of Mankato for repairs

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$78K to the City of Mankato for repairs

2010

Flooding

$835K to the City of Mankato for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$40K to the City of Mankato for repairs

Blue Earth County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Mankato

Mankato and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Mankatomostly inland floodingHigh

Skylinemostly inland floodingHigh

South Bendmostly inland floodingHigh

Belgrademostly inland floodingModerate

Kasotamostly inland floodingModerate

North Mankatomostly inland floodingLow

Mankatomostly cold wavesLow

Limemostly 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. Mankato covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Mankato’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Mankato. 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 Mankato total about $16.9M 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.