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Dodge County, Minnesota

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

Very Low overall risk
74th of 87highest risk in Minnesota
$10Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Dodge County, Minnesota has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 86% of US counties. It ranks 74th of 87 counties in Minnesota. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $9.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $468 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2019 (severe winter storm, straight-line winds and flooding). Only 30 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $476,000 on 32 claims here.

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

Top risks in Dodge County

$4.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.
$1.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
$1.1 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 floodingVery Low23.9
$5M
TornadoLow43.4
$2M
Cold waveLow40.5
$1M
Strong windLow43.7
$766K
HailLow59.5
$622K
DroughtLow61.8
$526K
Heat waveVery Low24.7
$157K
LightningVery Low19.7
$112K
Winter weatherLow30.3
$50K
Ice stormVery Low17.9
$22K
EarthquakeVery Low2.8
$4K
WildfireVery Low4.5
$2K
LandslideVery Low35.1
$767

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 Dodge County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm6
Flood5
Drought1
Severe Ice Storm1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Jun 12, 2019Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 21, 2014Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Oct 13, 2010Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 23, 2007Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Oct 7, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 16, 2001Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 27, 2000Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 11, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 26, 1991Ice StormMajor disaster
Show all 14
Jul 8, 1978Severe Storms, Flooding, Hail & TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency
Jul 13, 1974Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 11, 1965FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 343 storm reports in Dodge County since 1957, with 0 deaths and 1 injury and about $19.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on May 15, 1968.

22tornadoes
145hail reports, largest 3 inches
125damaging thunderstorm winds
28floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 15, 1968F1–0 / 0
Aug 13, 2010EF1Hayfield0 / 0
Jun 17, 2010EF1Hayfield0 / 0
Jun 10, 1961F1–0 / 0
May 15, 1968F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 19, 1996Thunderstorm WindDodge Center$9M
Sep 23, 2010FloodRice Lake$2M
Jun 28, 2019Flash FloodRice Lake$2M
Aug 19, 2007FloodDodge Center$655K
Sep 23, 2010Flash FloodRice Lake$500K
Jun 16, 2014Flash FloodRice Lake$413K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 17, 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 Dodge County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (30 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$476,485paid on 32 flood claims since 1978
2010costliest year, with $197,244 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 Dodge County

$287,700median home value (Minnesota $329,300, US $332,700)
1979median year homes were built (Minnesota 1979, US 1980)
51%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
5.1%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; 8,484 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
Olmsted CountyModerate13
Rice CountyLow12
Goodhue CountyLow16
Mower CountyLow14
Steele CountyVery Low15

Common questions about Dodge County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Dodge County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Dodge County, about $4.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Dodge County had?

Dodge County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in June 2019.

Is Dodge County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 74th 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 Dodge County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Dodge 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 Dodge County had?

NOAA records list 22 tornadoes in Dodge County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on May 15, 1968. The weather service has also logged 145 hail reports and 28 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.