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Natural hazards · Jefferson

Jefferson, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Jefferson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 30 claims here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Jefferson?

70
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Jefferson to be higher than in 70% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding66%Tornadoes12%Cold waves11%Everything else11%
By hazard

What Jefferson faces

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

Inland flooding

66% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Cold waves

11% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

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 Jefferson flood?

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

30paid claims since 1979
$1.9Mpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Storm: 11 claims, $427K

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

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Jefferson

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JeffersonDeclared for Jefferson County only
2026

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

164 households applied for aid $443K aid approved $399K to the City of Jefferson for repairs
2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$15K to the City of Jefferson for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

25 households applied for aid $21K aid approved
2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $6K to the City of Jefferson for repairs
Jefferson County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Jefferson

Jefferson and the towns around it

Aztalan: Low, mostly inland floodingJefferson: Low, mostly inland floodingLake Mills: Very low, mostly inland floodingJohnson Creek: Low, mostly inland floodingMilford: Low, mostly inland floodingFarmington: Low, mostly inland floodingLake Mills: Low, mostly inland floodingSullivan: Low, mostly inland floodingHebron: Low, mostly inland floodingKoshkonong: Moderate, mostly inland floodingOakland: Low, mostly inland floodingJefferson: High, mostly inland flooding JeffersonAztalanJefferson
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Jeffersonmostly inland floodingHigh
Aztalanmostly inland floodingLow
Jeffersonmostly 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. Jefferson covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Jefferson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Jefferson. 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 Jefferson total about $5.4M 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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