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Natural hazards · Burlington

Burlington, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Burlington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 15 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Burlington?

44
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding57%Cold waves17%Tornadoes16%Everything else10%
By hazard

What Burlington faces

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

Inland flooding

57% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

17% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce 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 Burlington flood?

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

15paid claims since 1979
$559Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • 2026-04-Flooding: 1 claim, $4K

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. Burlington isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Racine County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Burlington

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BurlingtonDeclared for Racine County only
2026

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $8K aid approved
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$26K to the City of Burlington for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

34 households applied for aid $32K aid approved
2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$22K to the City of Burlington for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

33 households applied for aid $26K aid approved
2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $14K aid approved
2000

Snow

$14K to the City of Burlington for repairs
Racine County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Burlington

Burlington and the towns around it

Burlington: Low, mostly inland floodingLyons: Low, mostly inland floodingSpring Prairie: Low, mostly inland floodingWheatland: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRochester: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLake Geneva: Very low, mostly inland floodingBloomfield: Low, mostly inland floodingGeneva: Very low, mostly inland floodingBloomfield: Low, mostly inland floodingLafayette: Low, mostly inland floodingEast Troy: Low, mostly inland floodingBurlington: Moderate, mostly inland flooding BurlingtonBurlingtonLyonsSpring Prairie
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Burlingtonmostly inland floodingModerate
Spring Prairiemostly inland floodingLow
Burlingtonmostly inland floodingLow
Lyonsmostly 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. Burlington covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Burlington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Burlington. 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 Burlington total about $2.4M 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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