Natural hazards · Cozad

Cozad, NE natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cozad comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 2008. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cozad?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cozad to be higher than in 55% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding37%Tornadoes25%Hail14%Strong wind10%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Cozad faces

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

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

25% of expected damage

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

Hail

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Strong wind

10% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Cozad flood?

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

7paid claims since 2008

$96Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

20082026

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

Insurance rates: Dawson County.

Disasters that hit Cozad

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CozadDeclared for Dawson County only

2024

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

$443K to the City of Cozad for repairs

2019

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

63 households applied for aid $147K aid approved

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$19K to the City of Cozad for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

156 households applied for aid $322K aid approved $52K to the City of Cozad for repairs

Dawson County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. Cozad covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cozad’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Cozad. 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 Cozad 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.