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Kanabec County, Minnesota

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

Very Low overall risk
67th of 87highest risk in Minnesota
$9Mexpected losses a year
9federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Kanabec County, Minnesota has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 79% of US counties. It ranks 67th of 87 counties in Minnesota. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $8.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $532 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2022 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 9 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $173,000 on 21 claims here.

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

Top risks in Kanabec County

$4.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 11 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$874,322 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low34.5
$5M
Cold waveModerate65.8
$2M
TornadoLow38.0
$874K
HailLow50.9
$304K
Strong windLow27.8
$300K
LightningLow40.7
$185K
Heat waveVery Low26.7
$124K
WildfireVery Low63.3
$119K
DroughtLow33.8
$41K
Ice stormVery Low24.6
$26K
Winter weatherVery Low18.3
$18K
EarthquakeVery Low1.8
$2K
LandslideVery Low40.7
$781

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 relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Flood5
Severe Storm2
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 9, 2022Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2018Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 28, 2011Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 16, 2001Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor 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 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 184 storm reports in Kanabec County since 1955, with 1 death and 5 injuries and about $787,500 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on July 3, 1985.

11tornadoes
82hail reports, largest 2 inches
73damaging thunderstorm winds
6floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jul 3, 1985F2–0 / 0
Sep 18, 1997F2Woodland0 / 0
Jun 10, 1968F1–2 / 1
Sep 16, 1955F1–0 / 0
Jun 28, 1981F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 16, 1955Tornado–$250K
Jul 12, 2018Flash FloodOgilvie$250K
Jul 6, 2017HailWoodland$50K
Jul 19, 2019Thunderstorm WindOgilvie$50K
Jun 10, 1968Tornado–$25K
Jun 28, 1981Tornado–$25K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 7, 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 Kanabec County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (9 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$172,998paid on 21 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $114,228 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 Kanabec County

$228,100median home value (Minnesota $329,300, US $332,700)
1983median year homes were built (Minnesota 1979, US 1980)
46%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
12.8%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; 7,839 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
Chisago CountyLow10
Isanti CountyVery Low8
Pine CountyLow13
Mille Lacs CountyVery Low8
Aitkin CountyLow19

Common questions about Kanabec County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Kanabec County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Kanabec County, about $4.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $2 million.

How many federal disasters has Kanabec County had?

Kanabec County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2022.

Is Kanabec County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 67th 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 Kanabec County?

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

NOAA records list 11 tornadoes in Kanabec County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on July 3, 1985. The weather service has also logged 82 hail reports and 6 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.