Natural hazards · Worthington

Worthington, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Worthington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 59 claims here since 1978. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Worthington?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Worthington to be higher than in 41% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding41%Tornadoes22%Cold waves19%Strong wind7%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Worthington faces

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

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage

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

Cold waves

19% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% 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 Worthington flood?

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

59paid claims since 1978

$199Kpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Midwest Flooding: 8 claims, $15K
June Midwest Flooding: 6 claims, $31K
Severe flooding: 5 claims, $14K

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. Worthington isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Nobles County.

Disasters that hit Worthington

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WorthingtonDeclared for Nobles County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

253 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved

Nobles County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Worthington

Worthington and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lorainmostly inland floodingModerate

Worthingtonmostly inland floodingModerate

Worthingtonmostly 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. Worthington covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Worthington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Worthington. 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 Worthington total about $4.8M 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.