Natural hazards · Cottage Grove

Cottage Grove, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cottage Grove comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cottage Grove?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cottage Grove to be higher than in 17% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding44%Cold waves23%Tornadoes17%Hail8%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Cottage Grove faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

23% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Hail

8% 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 Cottage Grove flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Dane County.

Disasters that hit Cottage Grove

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Cottage Grove itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Village of Cottage Grove.

Brought FEMA money into Cottage GroveDeclared for Dane County only

2018

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

6 households applied for aid $500 aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$12K to the Village of Cottage Grove for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

83 households applied for aid $134K aid approved $19K to the Village of Cottage Grove for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$13K to the Village of Cottage Grove for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

17 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

Dane County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Cottage Grove

Cottage Grove and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Cottage Grovemostly inland floodingVery low

Sun Prairiemostly 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. Cottage Grove covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cottage Grove’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Cottage Grove. 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 Cottage Grove total about $2.3M 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.