Itasca County, Minnesota
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Itasca County, Minnesota has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 77% of US counties. It ranks 11th of 87 counties in Minnesota. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $31 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $697 per resident. Since 1966 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2024 (severe storms and flooding). Only 17 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $122,000 on 12 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Itasca 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
- Have trees near the house checked.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 75.4 | $14M | ||
| Cold wave | 96.7 | $13M | ||
| Strong wind | 88.0 | $2M | ||
| Heat wave | 79.7 | $1M | ||
| Lightning | 77.3 | $552K | ||
| Tornado | 28.1 | $384K | ||
| Hail | 53.8 | $266K | ||
| Winter weather | 60.3 | $79K | ||
| Drought | 39.8 | $55K | ||
| Wildfire | 44.8 | $29K | ||
| Ice storm | 19.6 | $14K | ||
| Landslide | 80.1 | $13K | ||
| Earthquake | 3.0 | $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 relatively high 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 Itasca County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 13
Minnesota also had 26 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1959
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 627 storm reports in Itasca County since 1959, with 2 deaths and 3 injuries and about $370,500 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on June 7, 1977.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 7, 1977 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 24, 1975 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 19, 1978 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 17, 1985 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 18, 1987 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2, 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grand Rapids | $200K |
| Aug 24, 1975 | Tornado | – | $25K |
| Jun 7, 1977 | Tornado | – | $25K |
| Jul 19, 1978 | Tornado | – | $25K |
| Jul 13, 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Deer River | $20K |
| Jul 27, 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Calumet | $20K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 24, 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 Itasca 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 Itasca 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; 25,679 housing units.
Compare in Minnesota
All 87 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Hennepin County | Inland flooding | |
| Ramsey County | Inland flooding | |
| Dakota County | Inland flooding | |
| Anoka County | Inland flooding | |
| Washington County | Inland flooding | |
| St. Louis County | Cold wave | |
| Olmsted County | Inland flooding | |
| Stearns County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis County | 15 | |
| Beltrami County | 19 | |
| Cass County | 12 | |
| Aitkin County | 19 | |
| Koochiching County | 10 |
Common questions about Itasca County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Itasca County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Itasca County, about $14.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $13 million.
How many federal disasters has Itasca County had?
Itasca County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1966, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in June 2024.
Is Itasca County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 11th 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 Itasca County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Itasca 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 Itasca County had?
NOAA records list 11 tornadoes in Itasca County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on June 7, 1977. The weather service has also logged 275 hail reports and 27 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.