Natural hazards · Princeton

Princeton, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Princeton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1979. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Princeton?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Princeton to be higher than in 42% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding46%Tornadoes16%Cold waves16%Hail12%Strong wind5%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Princeton faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Hail

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Princeton flood?

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

4paid claims since 1979

$7Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19792026

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

Insurance rates: Green Lake County.

Disasters that hit Princeton

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PrincetonDeclared for Green Lake County only

2018

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

$18K to the City of Princeton for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

27 households applied for aid $27K aid approved $13K to the City of Princeton for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

23 households applied for aid $22K aid approved $2K to the City of Princeton for repairs

Green Lake County has had 7 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Princeton

Princeton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Princetonmostly inland floodingModerate

St. Mariemostly inland floodingModerate

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. Princeton 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 Princeton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Princeton. 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.