Pope County, Minnesota
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Pope County, Minnesota has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 80% of US counties. It ranks 68th of 87 counties in Minnesota. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $8.3 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $736 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 July 2023 (severe storms and flooding). Only 9 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 Pope 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 36.7 | $5M | ||
| Cold wave | 59.7 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 30.2 | $588K | ||
| Strong wind | 36.9 | $420K | ||
| Hail | 51.9 | $320K | ||
| Heat wave | 36.6 | $218K | ||
| Winter weather | 70.7 | $150K | ||
| Drought | 41.9 | $91K | ||
| Lightning | 15.4 | $59K | ||
| Ice storm | 24.6 | $26K | ||
| Wildfire | 36.5 | $24K | ||
| Earthquake | 3.9 | $4K | ||
| Landslide | 54.1 | $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 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 Pope County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 14
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 294 storm reports in Pope County since 1953, with 0 deaths and 15 injuries and about $4.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on June 18, 1964.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 18, 1964 | F3 | – | 13 / 0 |
| Jul 14, 2009 | EF2 | Gilchrist | 0 / 0 |
| May 10, 1953 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 7, 1959 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 19, 2017 | EF1 | Gilchrist | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Farwell | $1M |
| Jun 21, 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Gilchrist | $1M |
| Sep 19, 2017 | Tornado | Gilchrist | $500K |
| Jul 14, 2009 | Tornado | Gilchrist | $300K |
| May 10, 1953 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jun 18, 1964 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 29, 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 Pope 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 Pope 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; 6,424 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Stearns County | 11 | |
| Kandiyohi County | 14 | |
| Douglas County | 12 | |
| Swift County | 17 | |
| Stevens County | 17 | |
| Grant County | 17 |
Common questions about Pope County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Pope County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Pope County, about $4.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $1.6 million.
How many federal disasters has Pope County had?
Pope 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 and Flooding in July 2023.
Is Pope County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 68th 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 Pope County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Pope 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 Pope County had?
NOAA records list 30 tornadoes in Pope County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on June 18, 1964. The weather service has also logged 135 hail reports and 14 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.