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Natural hazards · Waseca

Waseca, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waseca comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2016. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Waseca?

22
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waseca to be higher than in 22% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding31%Cold waves25%Tornadoes19%Strong wind14%Hail6%Everything else4%
By hazard

What Waseca faces

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

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 13% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

25% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places
Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Strong wind

14% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 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 Waseca flood?

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

3paid claims since 2016
$91Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
20162026

Biggest named events

  • June Midwest Flooding: 1 claim, $57K
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Waseca isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Waseca County.
Disasters that hit Waseca

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WasecaDeclared for Waseca County only
2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

32 households applied for aid $188K aid approved $14K to the City of Waseca for repairs
2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

615 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $204K to the City of Waseca for repairs
2014

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

$26K to the City of Waseca for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$35K to the City of Waseca for repairs
Waseca County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Waseca

Waseca and the towns around it

Woodville: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSt. Mary: Moderate, mostly inland floodingOtisco: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBlooming Grove: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMeriden: Moderate, mostly inland floodingIosco: Moderate, mostly inland floodingAlton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWilton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWaseca: Low, mostly inland flooding WasecaWoodvilleSt. Mary
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Woodvillemostly inland floodingModerate
St. Marymostly inland floodingModerate
Wasecamostly 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. Waseca covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Waseca’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Waseca. 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 Waseca total about $3.2M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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