Clayton County, Iowa
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Clayton County, Iowa has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 58% of US counties. It ranks 37th of 99 counties in Iowa. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $15 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $853 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (24 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2023 (flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (85 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.4 million on 212 claims here, including $1.4 million for floods in 2008.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Clayton County
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 58.0 | $9M | ||
| Tornado | 54.0 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 54.7 | $1M | ||
| Hail | 82.4 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 41.7 | $472K | ||
| Drought | 64.3 | $414K | ||
| Heat wave | 42.6 | $284K | ||
| Landslide | 91.1 | $71K | ||
| Lightning | 18.8 | $70K | ||
| Winter weather | 30.2 | $33K | ||
| Ice storm | 21.6 | $20K | ||
| Earthquake | 14.5 | $17K | ||
| Wildfire | 12.3 | $5K | ||
| Hurricane | 14.9 | $4K |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Clayton County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 25
Iowa also had 11 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1953
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 531 storm reports in Clayton County since 1953, with 3 deaths and 28 injuries and about $97.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 30, 1985.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 30, 1985 | F3 | – | 25 / 2 |
| May 10, 1953 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 25, 1965 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 13, 1990 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 19, 2017 | EF1 | Giard | 2 / 1 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 30, 1985 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Jun 7, 2008 | Flood | Strawberry Pt | $25M |
| Jul 21, 2017 | Flash Flood | Clayton | $12M |
| Jun 8, 2008 | Flood | Elkader | $7M |
| Jun 8, 2008 | Flood | Garber | $5M |
| Jul 24, 2009 | Hail | Edgewood | $3M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 2, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Flood insurance in Clayton County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Clayton County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 8,796 housing units.
Compare in Iowa
All 99 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Polk County | Inland flooding | |
| Linn County | Inland flooding | |
| Scott County | Inland flooding | |
| Johnson County | Tornado | |
| Black Hawk County | Inland flooding | |
| Woodbury County | Inland flooding | |
| Dallas County | Inland flooding | |
| Dubuque County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Dubuque County | 19 | |
| Grant County, WI | 18 | |
| Buchanan County | 23 | |
| Winneshiek County | 19 | |
| Fayette County | 20 | |
| Delaware County | 16 | |
| Crawford County, WI | 20 | |
| Allamakee County | 20 |
Common questions about Clayton County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Clayton County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Clayton County, about $9.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.6 million.
How many federal disasters has Clayton County had?
Clayton County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 24 major disasters. The most recent was Flooding in August 2023.
Is Clayton County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 37th highest of 99 in Iowa. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Clayton County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 111 homes in Clayton County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Clayton County had?
NOAA records list 17 tornadoes in Clayton County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 30, 1985. The weather service has also logged 144 hail reports and 179 floods here.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.