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Natural hazards · West Bend

West Bend, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West Bend comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1980. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is West Bend?

11
Very low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in West Bend to be higher than in 11% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding35%Cold waves32%Tornadoes20%Everything else14%
By hazard

What West Bend faces

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

Inland flooding

35% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

32% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 77% 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 West Bend flood?

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

2paid claims since 1980
$15Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19802026
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. West Bend isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Washington County.
Disasters that hit West Bend

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into West BendDeclared for Washington County only
2026

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

34 households applied for aid $55K aid approved
2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Mudslides

165 households applied for aid $804K aid approved
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$80K to the City of West Bend for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

91 households applied for aid $103K aid approved $60K to the City of West Bend for repairs
2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$69K to the City of West Bend for repairs
Washington County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around West Bend

West Bend and the towns around it

Trenton: Very low, mostly inland floodingBarton: Very low, mostly inland floodingWest Bend: Very low, mostly inland floodingNewburg: Very low, mostly inland floodingFarmington: Very low, mostly inland floodingSaukville: Low, mostly inland floodingJackson: Very low, mostly inland floodingCedarburg: Very low, mostly inland floodingKewaskum: Low, mostly inland floodingPolk: Very low, mostly inland floodingAddison: Very low, mostly inland floodingWest Bend: Very low, mostly inland flooding West BendTrentonBartonWest Bend
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Trentonmostly inland floodingVery low
West Bendmostly inland floodingVery low
Bartonmostly inland floodingVery low
West Bendmostly 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. West Bend covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to West Bend’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of West Bend. 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 West Bend total about $7.2M 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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