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Stutsman County, North Dakota

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

Relatively Low overall risk
9th of 53highest risk in North Dakota
$16Mexpected losses a year
29federal declarations
1 in 125homes with flood insurance
Photo: Bold Frontiers, CC BY 2.0

Stutsman County, North Dakota has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 54% of US counties. It ranks 9th of 53 counties in North Dakota. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and hail. FEMA estimates about $16 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $755 per resident. Since 1966 it has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (26 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2025 (severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (66 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $758,000 on 127 claims here.

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

Top risks in Stutsman County

Cold wave

Moderate
$6.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 19 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$3.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Hail

Moderate
$1.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Cold waveModerate88.5
$7M
Inland floodingVery Low26.9
$3M
HailModerate88.7
$2M
TornadoLow47.1
$1M
Winter weatherHigh96.4
$965K
Strong windModerate64.7
$924K
Ice stormHigh85.9
$709K
WildfireLow66.9
$151K
Heat waveVery Low23.9
$98K
DroughtLow35.1
$46K
LightningVery Low5.6
$20K
EarthquakeVery Low12.3
$14K
LandslideLow64.0
$4K

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 Stutsman County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood15
Severe Storm11
Drought1
Coastal Storm1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Oct 22, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 11, 2025Severe Storm, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Feb 15, 2024Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Jul 13, 2022Severe Winter Storm and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2020FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 21, 2020FloodingMajor disaster
May 10, 2011FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 30, 2010FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 14, 2010FloodingEmergency
Mar 24, 2009Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 29
Jul 17, 2007Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 10, 2002Severe Storms, Flooding and TornadoesMajor disaster
May 28, 2001Severe Storms, Flooding, & Ground SaturationMajor disaster
Jun 27, 2000Severe Storms, Flooding and Ground SaturationMajor disaster
Jun 8, 1999Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow, Ice, Ground Saturation, Lanslides, Mudslides, and TorMajor disaster
Jun 15, 1998Flooding, Ground Saturation,Severe StormsMajor disaster
Apr 7, 1997Severe Flooding,Severe Winter Storms, Snowmelt, Spring RainsMajor disaster
Jan 12, 1997Severe Winter Storms and Blizzard ConditionsMajor disaster
Jun 5, 1996Severe Storms,Flooding, & Ice JamsMajor disaster
May 16, 1995Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ground SaturationMajor disaster
Jul 1, 1994Severe Storms, FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 26, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 26, 1979Severe Storms, Snowmelt & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 21, 1976DroughtEmergency
Jul 11, 1975Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
May 24, 1975Flooding From Rains & SnowmeltMajor disaster
Apr 18, 1969FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 23, 1966FloodingMajor disaster

North Dakota also had 25 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1952

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 578 storm reports in Stutsman County since 1952, with 2 deaths and 10 injuries and about $48.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on August 11, 2002 near Medina.

57tornadoes
257hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
229damaging thunderstorm winds
23floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Aug 11, 2002F4Medina0 / 0
Aug 23, 1968F3–3 / 0
Jul 17, 2001F2Cleveland0 / 0
Jul 24, 1952F2–0 / 0
Aug 14, 1974F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 14, 2018Thunderstorm WindCleveland$12M
Aug 31, 1997HailJamestown$10M
Jun 20, 2025HailJamestown$10M
Jun 25, 1999Thunderstorm WindEdmunds$2M
Jun 20, 2025Thunderstorm WindJamestown$1M
Jun 20, 2025TornadoMedina$750K

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 Stutsman County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.8%of homes have federal flood insurance (66 policies)
60%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$757,665paid on 127 flood claims since 1978
2009costliest year, with $279,521 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 Stutsman County

$208,400median home value (North Dakota $249,900, US $332,700)
1973median year homes were built (North Dakota 1982, US 1980)
65%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
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; 10,413 housing units.

Compare in North Dakota

All 53 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Cass CountyModerateInland flooding
Burleigh CountyModerateInland flooding
Grand Forks CountyLowInland flooding
Ward CountyLowCold wave
Williams CountyLowCold wave
Stark CountyVery LowCold wave
Morton CountyLowInland flooding
Stutsman CountyLowCold wave

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Barnes CountyLow33
LaMoure CountyVery Low31
Wells CountyVery Low27
Foster CountyVery Low21
Kidder CountyVery Low24
Griggs CountyVery Low21
Logan CountyVery Low24

Common questions about Stutsman County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Stutsman County?

Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Stutsman County, about $6.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Stutsman County had?

Stutsman County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1966, including 26 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes in October 2025.

Is Stutsman County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 9th highest of 53 in North Dakota. 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 Stutsman County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Stutsman 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 Stutsman County had?

NOAA records list 57 tornadoes in Stutsman County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on August 11, 2002 near Medina. The weather service has also logged 257 hail reports and 23 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.