Natural hazards · Custer

Custer, SD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Custer comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Custer?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Custer to be higher than in 78% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding46%Cold waves23%Tornadoes14%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Custer faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

23% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Custer flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Custer.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Beadle County.

Disasters that hit Custer

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CusterDeclared for Beadle County only

2011

Flooding

$33K to the Township of Custer for repairs

2010

Flooding

$8K to the Township of Custer for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$3K to the Township of Custer for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams

$15K to the Township of Custer for repairs

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

Around Custer

Custer and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Custermostly inland floodingHigh

Huronmostly inland floodingModerate

Cliftonmostly inland floodingModerate

Valleymostly inland floodingModerate

Richlandmostly inland floodingModerate

Clydemostly inland floodingModerate

Morningsidemostly 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. Custer covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Custer’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Custer. 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 Custer total about $2.2M 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.