Natural hazards · Grafton

Grafton, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Grafton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 2019. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Grafton?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Grafton to be higher than in 14% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding51%Cold waves28%Tornadoes11%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Grafton faces

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

Inland flooding

51% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

28% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% 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 Grafton flood?

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

5paid claims since 2019

$205Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20192026

Biggest named events

March 2019 Midwest Flooding: 5 claims, $205K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Ozaukee County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

7flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Grafton

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GraftonDeclared for Ozaukee County only

2018

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

$40K to the Village of Grafton for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

19 households applied for aid $34K aid approved $6K to the Village of Grafton for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

13 households applied for aid $21K aid approved $19K to the Village of Grafton for repairs

2000

Snow

$15K to the Village of Grafton for repairs

Ozaukee County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Grafton

Grafton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Cedarburgmostly inland floodingLow

Cedarburgmostly inland floodingVery low

Graftonmostly 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. Grafton covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Grafton’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Grafton. 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 Grafton total about $3.3M 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.