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Marengo Alabama CourthousePhoto: Altairisfar · Public domain
C−Hazard risk
Natural hazards in Linden · FEMA

FEMA expects more hazard damage per building in Linden than in 85% of U.S. towns, mostly from river and rain flooding

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Linden gets a C− for hazard risk: higher expected damage per building than 85% of U.S. towns. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (61%), then tornadoes (12%). Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1979.

River and rain flooding 61%Tornadoes 12%Hurricanes 12%

Graded on FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value (NRI v1.20, December 2025), weighted by where residents live; flood claims are shown, not graded. How hazard risk is graded

more than 85%of U.S. townsLess damageMoreExpected yearly damage per dollar of building, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade
Hazard risk
C−
in Alabama · higher than 85% of U.S. towns
Main hazard
River and rain flooding
61% of expected building damage
Flood claims
1
paid since 1979 · $3K
Disasters paid out here
5
of 17 declared for Marengo County
By hazard

What Linden faces

Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.

River and rain flooding

61%of expected building damage
Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

12%of expected building damage
Well above average · in the top 2% of U.S. census tracts

Hurricanes

12%of expected building damage
Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Strong wind

9%of expected building damage
Well above average · in the top 1% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area
Smaller shares here
 Earthquakes Hail Ice storms Lightning Wildfire Cold waves Winter storms Heat waves Landslides
FEMA models no building damage here
Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
People, not buildings.Counting harm to people as well as buildings, FEMA’s model puts tornadoes at 21% of Linden’s expected losses. Tornadoes do little damage to buildings (12.2%), so they aren’t part of the grade.

Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Hazard risk grade

What’s behind Linden’s grade

River and rain flooding is 61% of the building damage FEMA expects in Linden, and Linden’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is higher than 80% of U.S. census tracts. Tornadoes add 12%, at a rate in the top 2% of U.S. census tracts.

Where Linden sits
Linden
Least damageMiddleMost damage

C− higher expected damage per building than 85% of U.S. towns (21,298).

Linden’s residents live in 2 census tracts; FEMA’s figures are combined by where they live.

What drives the damage to buildings
River and rain flooding61%Tornadoes12%Hurricanes12%Everything else15%

In dollars, FEMA expects about $1.0M a year in losses across Linden: $692K to buildings, the rest to people and crops.

Recent disaster.FEMA’s model looks at expected damage to the buildings standing today. After Hurricane Zeta in 2020, FEMA took 119 aid registrations from Linden addresses (the town has 1,012 homes).
A small-area figure. Linden covers 2 census tracts, combined by where residents live. FEMA’s model is an average year for today’s buildings, not a record: the claims and disasters below are the record.

How TownRatings grades hazard risk →

Flood insurance claims

Does Linden flood? Rarely: 1 flood claim since 1979

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Linden, from FEMA’s records: 1.0 per 1,000 homes, fewer than 78% of the 13,809 U.S. towns with a flood insurance record.

Paid flood claims, by year
1979: 1 claim1980: 0 claims1981: 0 claims1982: 0 claims1983: 0 claims1984: 0 claims1985: 0 claims1986: 0 claims1987: 0 claims1988: 0 claims1989: 0 claims1990: 0 claims1991: 0 claims1992: 0 claims1993: 0 claims1994: 0 claims1995: 0 claims1996: 0 claims1997: 0 claims1998: 0 claims1999: 0 claims2000: 0 claims2001: 0 claims2002: 0 claims2003: 0 claims2004: 0 claims2005: 0 claims2006: 0 claims2007: 0 claims2008: 0 claims2009: 0 claims2010: 0 claims2011: 0 claims2012: 0 claims2013: 0 claims2014: 0 claims2015: 0 claims2016: 0 claims2017: 0 claims2018: 0 claims2019: 0 claims2020: 0 claims2021: 0 claims2022: 0 claims2023: 0 claims2024: 0 claims2025: 0 claims2026: 0 claims1979
19792026
1
paid claims since 1979
$3K
paid to owners
0
homes flooded more than once
$3K
average claim
of homes in flood zones are insured
of all homes are insured
No community discount

Linden isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Marengo County.
What’s been done with FEMA grants
2storm safe rooms built
Disasters

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Linden

Disasters that paid out in Linden itself (aid to households or repair grants to the Town of Linden), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.

  1. 2020Hurricane Zeta119 households applied for aid$213K aid approved
  2. 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding94 households applied for aid$73K aid approved$41K to the Town of Linden for repairs
  3. 2005Hurricane Katrina137 households applied for aid$53K aid approved$27K to the Town of Linden for repairs
  4. 2005Hurricane Dennis$9K to the Town of Linden for repairs
  5. 2004Hurricane Ivan322 households applied for aid$433K aid approved$113K to the Town of Linden for repairs
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in LindenMarengo County only

Marengo County has had 17 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often hurricanes and tropical storms, then severe storms.

Were you here?

Old photos of Linden after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the Linden archive →
Be ready

Get ready for what Linden faces

A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.

When the river rises
  • Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
  • Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
  • Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Tornado warnings
  • Pick your spot now: the lowest floor, an inside room, no windows.
  • A watch means be ready; a warning means take cover now.
  • Keep shoes and a flashlight by the bed.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Hurricane season
  • The season runs June through November and peaks from mid-August to mid-October.
  • Bring in porch furniture and anything the wind can throw.
  • Fill the gas tank and charge phones before the storm arrives.
More from Ready.gov ↗
High winds
  • Trim dead limbs over the house and driveway.
  • Tie down trash cans and outdoor furniture.
  • Stay clear of downed lines and call the utility.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Before you buy or rent
  • Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
  • Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
  • Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
When a storm is coming
Forecast and alertsWeather →911, the nearest ERSafety →

Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.

Questions about natural hazards in Linden

Is Linden at risk for natural disasters?

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Linden has higher expected damage per building than 85% of U.S. towns: C− for hazard risk. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (61%) and tornadoes (12%). This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.

Does Linden flood?

Flood insurance has paid 1 claim in Linden since 1979, $3K in all, or 1.0 per 1,000 homes, fewer than 78% of U.S. towns with a flood insurance record.

Is Linden in a flood zone?

Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Marengo County, 12% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 0.8% of all homes do.

How much is flood insurance in Linden?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Linden’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.

What was the biggest storm in Linden?

By FEMA money that reached Linden, Hurricane Ivan (2004): 322 households applied for aid, $433K approved, and $113K to the Town of Linden for repairs.

Is Linden at risk from river and rain flooding?

It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (61%), and Linden’s rate for it is higher than 80% of U.S. census tracts.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Linden.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Linden’s residents lived in the 2020 census; OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.