Natural hazards · Rochester

Rochester, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rochester comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2017. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Rochester?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rochester to be higher than in 54% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding61%Cold waves16%Tornadoes14%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Rochester faces

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

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 67 years 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 Rochester flood?

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

1paid claims since 2017

$19Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20172026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Rochester 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.

Disasters that hit Rochester

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RochesterDeclared for Racine County only

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$7K to the Village of Rochester for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $2K to the Village of Rochester for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$2K to the Village of Rochester for repairs

2000

Snow

$3K to the Village of Rochester for repairs

Racine County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Rochester

Rochester and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Waterfordmostly inland floodingModerate

Rochestermostly inland floodingModerate

Norwaymostly inland floodingModerate

Spring Prairiemostly inland floodingLow

Burlingtonmostly inland floodingLow

Dovermostly 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. Rochester covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Rochester’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Rochester. 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 Rochester total about $3.1M 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.