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Kandiyohi County, Minnesota

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

Relatively Low overall risk
28th of 87highest risk in Minnesota
$18Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 51% of US counties. It ranks 28th of 87 counties in Minnesota. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $18 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $404 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 August 2022 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 16 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Kandiyohi County

$7.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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
$4.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 12 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$1.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
  • Have trees near the house checked.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow52.2
$7M
Cold waveModerate81.4
$4M
Strong windHigh86.8
$2M
TornadoLow58.4
$2M
HailModerate82.3
$1M
Heat waveLow57.5
$549K
DroughtLow62.5
$345K
LightningLow45.9
$212K
Ice stormModerate62.3
$157K
Winter weatherModerate71.2
$143K
WildfireVery Low50.0
$50K
EarthquakeVery Low16.0
$20K
LandslideVery Low59.2
$3K

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 Kandiyohi County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm8
Flood4
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 9, 2022Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 8, 2022Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 6, 2012Severe Storms 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
Aug 25, 1997Severe Storms, Tornadoes, High Winds, FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 8, 1997Severe Flooding, High Winds,Severe StormsMajor disaster
Jan 16, 1997Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Jun 11, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 14
Jun 26, 1992Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency
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 463 storm reports in Kandiyohi County since 1955, with 1 death and 8 injuries and about $33.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on July 11, 2008 near Priam.

56tornadoes
197hail reports, largest 3 inches
182damaging thunderstorm winds
11floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jul 11, 2008EF3Priam2 / 0
Apr 21, 1985F1–0 / 0
Jul 9, 2003F1Pennock0 / 0
Jun 18, 1964F1–2 / 0
Jun 28, 1979F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 11, 2001Thunderstorm WindSunburg$21M
Jul 13, 1997HailSvea$4M
Apr 21, 1985Tornado–$3M
Jul 9, 2003TornadoPennock$1M
Jul 5, 2016HailRaymond$500K
Jun 11, 2017Thunderstorm WindSvea$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 4, 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 Kandiyohi County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (16 policies)
10.4%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$132,326paid on 8 flood claims since 1978
2007costliest year, with $68,618 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 Kandiyohi County

$243,200median home value (Minnesota $329,300, US $332,700)
1978median year homes were built (Minnesota 1979, US 1980)
53%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
3.5%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; 20,337 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
Stearns CountyModerate11
Meeker CountyVery Low9
Renville CountyVery Low20
Chippewa CountyVery Low19
Pope CountyVery Low14
Swift CountyVery Low17

Common questions about Kandiyohi County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Kandiyohi County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Kandiyohi County, about $7.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $4.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Kandiyohi County had?

Kandiyohi 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 Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2022.

Is Kandiyohi County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 28th 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 Kandiyohi County?

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

NOAA records list 56 tornadoes in Kandiyohi County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on July 11, 2008 near Priam. The weather service has also logged 197 hail reports and 11 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.