Home › Minnesota › Fillmore County

Fillmore County, Minnesota

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

Relatively Low overall risk
33rd of 87highest risk in Minnesota
$17Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Fillmore County, Minnesota has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 50% of US counties. It ranks 33rd of 87 counties in Minnesota. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $17 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $803 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2024 (severe storms and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (77 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $753,000 on 99 claims here.

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

Top risks in Fillmore County

$11.9 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.
$2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$1.9 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 floodingLow66.2
$12M
TornadoLow62.3
$2M
Cold waveModerate66.0
$2M
HailLow58.7
$383K
Strong windLow27.7
$281K
Heat waveVery Low36.0
$198K
DroughtLow46.8
$125K
LightningVery Low19.4
$70K
Winter weatherLow42.3
$52K
Ice stormLow32.9
$40K
LandslideLow84.4
$29K
EarthquakeVery Low10.2
$11K
WildfireVery Low10.8
$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 very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Flood6
Severe Storm6
Drought1
Severe Ice Storm1
Tornado1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Jun 28, 2024Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 12, 2019Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 2, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 25, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 25, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 23, 2007Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 27, 2000Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 23, 1998Severe Storms, Straight Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 11, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 16
Dec 26, 1991Ice StormMajor disaster
Jul 8, 1978Severe Storms, Flooding, Hail & TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency
Jul 13, 1974Severe 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 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 471 storm reports in Fillmore County since 1953, with 1 death and 23 injuries and about $78.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 10, 1953.

25tornadoes
175hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
195damaging thunderstorm winds
48floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 10, 1953F4–6 / 1
May 5, 1965F3–6 / 0
Jul 14, 1977F2–10 / 0
May 22, 2011EF2York1 / 0
Apr 12, 2022EF1Ostrander0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 18, 2007Flash FloodRushford$38M
Aug 19, 2007FloodRushford$12M
Jun 8, 2008FloodSpring Vly$4M
Jun 23, 2013Flash FloodFillmore$4M
May 10, 1953Tornado–$3M
May 5, 1965Tornado–$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 Fillmore County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (77 policies)
16.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$753,114paid on 99 flood claims since 1978
2007costliest year, with $152,180 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 Fillmore County

$221,100median home value (Minnesota $329,300, US $332,700)
1966median year homes were built (Minnesota 1979, US 1980)
63%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
2.9%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; 9,692 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
Winona CountyLow15
Mower CountyLow14
Winneshiek County, IAVery Low19
Houston CountyVery Low19
Howard County, IAVery Low21

Common questions about Fillmore County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Fillmore County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Fillmore County, about $11.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2 million.

How many federal disasters has Fillmore County had?

Fillmore County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in June 2024.

Is Fillmore County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 33rd 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 Fillmore County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Fillmore 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 Fillmore County had?

NOAA records list 25 tornadoes in Fillmore County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 10, 1953. The weather service has also logged 175 hail reports and 48 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.