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Chisago County, Minnesota

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Low overall risk
40th of 87highest risk in Minnesota
$23Mexpected losses a year
10federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Chisago County, Minnesota has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 56% of US counties. It ranks 40th of 87 counties in Minnesota. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $23 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $401 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2011 (severe storms, flooding and tornadoes). Only 37 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $421,000 on 37 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Chisago County

$12.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 years.
  • 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.
$3.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 years.
  • 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.
$2.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 10 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow55.7
$13M
TornadoLow64.2
$3M
Cold waveLow61.6
$2M
Strong windModerate76.8
$2M
HailModerate76.3
$1M
LightningLow54.2
$438K
Heat waveLow39.1
$357K
WildfireLow65.5
$199K
Winter weatherLow42.8
$82K
Ice stormLow38.6
$79K
DroughtLow35.2
$67K
EarthquakeVery Low4.4
$7K
LandslideVery Low44.9
$2K

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 very low and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Chisago County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood5
Severe Storm2
Drought1
Fire1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Jul 28, 2011Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 16, 2001Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Oct 20, 2000Mn - Carlos Edge Fire Complex - 10/19/2000Fire management
Jun 1, 1996Flooding and Severe StormsMajor disaster
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency
Jul 17, 1975Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 1, 1972Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 18, 1969FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 11, 1965FloodingMajor disaster

Minnesota also had 26 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 215 storm reports in Chisago County since 1954, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries and about $7.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 21, 1957.

19tornadoes
93hail reports, largest 4.25 inches
98damaging thunderstorm winds
3floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 21, 1957F4–2 / 0
Jul 28, 2019EF1Lindstrom0 / 0
Jun 17, 1954F1–0 / 0
May 18, 1962F1–0 / 0
Aug 19, 2009EF0North Branch0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 1, 2001HailWyoming$2M
Jun 20, 2007HailHarris$2M
Jun 24, 2003Thunderstorm WindChisago City$500K
Jul 28, 2019TornadoLindstrom$500K
Jun 18, 2001HailRush City$400K
Jun 17, 1954Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 19, 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 Chisago County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (37 policies)
9.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$421,227paid on 37 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $277,219 paid

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 Chisago County

$351,900median home value (Minnesota $329,300, US $332,700)
1992median year homes were built (Minnesota 1979, US 1980)
35%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.7%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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; 22,998 housing units.

Compare in Minnesota

All 87 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Hennepin CountyHighInland flooding
Ramsey CountyHighInland flooding
Dakota CountyModerateInland flooding
Anoka CountyModerateInland flooding
Washington CountyModerateInland flooding
St. Louis CountyModerateCold wave
Olmsted CountyModerateInland flooding
Stearns CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Anoka CountyModerate11
Washington CountyModerate15
Polk County, WILow8
Isanti CountyVery Low8
Pine CountyLow13
Burnett County, WILow8
Kanabec CountyVery Low9

Common questions about Chisago County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Chisago County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Chisago County, about $12.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $3.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Chisago County had?

Chisago County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes in July 2011.

Is Chisago County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 40th highest of 87 in Minnesota. 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 Chisago County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Chisago 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 Chisago County had?

NOAA records list 19 tornadoes in Chisago County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 21, 1957. The weather service has also logged 93 hail reports and 3 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.