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Natural hazards · Wisconsin Rapids

Wisconsin Rapids, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wisconsin Rapids comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 14 claims here since 1980. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Wisconsin Rapids?

32
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wisconsin Rapids to be higher than in 32% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding40%Cold waves36%Tornadoes14%Hail6%Everything else4%
By hazard

What Wisconsin Rapids faces

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

Inland flooding

40% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

36% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places
Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Hail

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Wisconsin Rapids flood?

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

14paid claims since 1980
$500Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19802026

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

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Wisconsin Rapids

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Wisconsin RapidsDeclared for Wood County only
2019

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

$444K to the City of Wisconsin Rapids for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$68K to the City of Wisconsin Rapids for repairs
2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

14 households applied for aid $20K aid approved
2001

Flooding, Severe Storms and Tornadoes

$85K to the City of Wisconsin Rapids for repairs
Wood County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Wisconsin Rapids

Wisconsin Rapids and the towns around it

Grand Rapids: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBiron: High, mostly inland floodingSeneca: High, mostly inland floodingPort Edwards: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRudolph: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSigel: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGrant: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSaratoga: High, mostly inland floodingCranmoor: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHansen: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPort Edwards: Very high, mostly inland floodingNekoosa: Very high, mostly inland floodingLinwood: High, mostly inland floodingCarson: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSherry: Low, mostly inland floodingVesper: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWisconsin Rapids: Low, mostly inland flooding Wisconsin RapidsGrand RapidsBironSenecaPort EdwardsRudolphSigel
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Senecamostly inland floodingHigh
Bironmostly inland floodingHigh
Grand Rapidsmostly inland floodingModerate
Rudolphmostly inland floodingModerate
Sigelmostly inland floodingModerate
Port Edwardsmostly inland floodingModerate
Wisconsin Rapidsmostly 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. Wisconsin Rapids covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wisconsin Rapids’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Wisconsin Rapids. 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 Wisconsin Rapids total about $2.5M 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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