Natural hazards · Princeton

Princeton, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Princeton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1979.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Princeton?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Princeton to be higher than in 44% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding56%Cold waves21%Tornadoes7%Strong wind6%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Princeton faces

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

Inland flooding

56% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

21% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% 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 Princeton flood?

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

6paid claims since 1979

$20Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Severe flooding: 2 claims, $7K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Mille Lacs County.

Disasters that hit Princeton

Federal disasters declared here

None of the disasters declared for Mille Lacs County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching Princeton itself in FEMA’s records.

Brought FEMA money into PrincetonDeclared for Mille Lacs County only

Mille Lacs County has had 8 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Princeton

Princeton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Baldwinmostly inland floodingHigh

Princetonmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Princeton covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Princeton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Princeton. 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 Princeton total about $2.0M 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.