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Isanti County, Minnesota

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

Very Low overall risk
59th of 87highest risk in Minnesota
$15Mexpected losses a year
8federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Isanti County, Minnesota has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 73% of US counties. It ranks 59th of 87 counties in Minnesota. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $15 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $372 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2011 (severe storms, flooding and tornadoes). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (63 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $226,000 on 26 claims here.

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

Top risks in Isanti County

$9.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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.
$2.2 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.
$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 floodingLow44.0
$9M
TornadoLow50.7
$2M
Cold waveLow37.7
$1M
Strong windLow50.3
$951K
HailLow60.5
$662K
Heat waveVery Low37.8
$354K
LightningLow42.5
$303K
WildfireLow65.0
$206K
DroughtLow32.3
$56K
Ice stormLow27.8
$48K
Winter weatherLow25.1
$40K
EarthquakeVery Low2.6
$4K
LandslideVery Low35.8
$821

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 Isanti County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood4
Severe Storm2
Drought1
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
Aug 25, 1997Severe Storms, Tornadoes, High Winds, FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency
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 1975

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 224 storm reports in Isanti County since 1975, with 0 deaths and 4 injuries and about $3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on June 13, 1981.

14tornadoes
101hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
93damaging thunderstorm winds
5floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 13, 1981F2–0 / 0
Jul 21, 1995F1Cambridge3 / 0
Jun 18, 2001F1Day0 / 0
Jul 21, 1995F1Spring Lake0 / 0
Jul 21, 1995F1Blomford0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 21, 1995TornadoCambridge$2M
Jun 13, 1981Tornado–$250K
Jul 18, 2020Thunderstorm WindSpringvale$250K
Jun 18, 2001TornadoDay$200K
Jul 30, 2011Thunderstorm WindCarmody$150K
Jul 30, 2011TornadoCarmody$150K

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 Isanti County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (63 policies)
5.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$226,363paid on 26 flood claims since 1978
2001costliest year, with $101,777 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 Isanti County

$306,200median home value (Minnesota $329,300, US $332,700)
1988median year homes were built (Minnesota 1979, US 1980)
42%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
2.5%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; 17,268 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
Sherburne CountyLow8
Chisago CountyLow10
Pine CountyLow13
Mille Lacs CountyVery Low8
Kanabec CountyVery Low9

Common questions about Isanti County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Isanti County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Isanti County, about $9.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Isanti County had?

Isanti County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes in July 2011.

Is Isanti County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 59th 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 Isanti County?

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

NOAA records list 14 tornadoes in Isanti County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on June 13, 1981. The weather service has also logged 101 hail reports and 5 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.