Natural hazards · Sheboygan

Sheboygan, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sheboygan comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 18 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sheboygan?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sheboygan to be higher than in 10% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding41%Cold waves25%Tornadoes19%Hail6%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Sheboygan faces

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

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 20% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

25% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Hail

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Sheboygan flood?

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

18paid claims since 1978

$203Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Severe flooding: 2 claims, $8K

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

Insurance rates: Sheboygan County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

15flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

2flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Sheboygan

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SheboyganDeclared for Sheboygan County only

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

100 households applied for aid $50K aid approved $99K to the City of Sheboygan for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

19 households applied for aid $22K aid approved

2000

Snow

$46K to the City of Sheboygan for repairs

Sheboygan County has had 9 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Sheboygan

Sheboygan and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Sheboyganmostly inland floodingVery low

Wilsonmostly inland floodingVery low

Kohlermostly inland floodingVery low

Sheboyganmostly 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. Sheboygan covers 10 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sheboygan’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Sheboygan. 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 Sheboygan total about $10.7M 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.