Natural hazards · Bradford

Bradford, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bradford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bradford?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding55%Tornadoes17%Cold waves13%Hail7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Bradford faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 13 years in the area

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 30% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hail

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bradford flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Rock County.

Disasters that hit Bradford

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BradfordDeclared for Rock County only

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$19K to the Town of Bradford for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$2K to the Town of Bradford for repairs

Rock County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Bradford

Bradford and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

La Prairiemostly inland floodingHigh

Bradfordmostly inland floodingModerate

Johnstownmostly inland floodingModerate

Clintonmostly inland floodingLow

Darienmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Bradford is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bradford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Bradford. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.