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Iowa rankings · Hazard risk

Towns with the lowest natural-hazard risk in Iowa

Saylorville ranks first on hazard risk among Iowa’s 140 towns of 2,500+; 28 of the 140 grade A− or better on hazard risk nationally.

The Hazard risk grade: FEMA’s expected yearly loss to buildings from natural hazards, where residents live (National Risk Index). How grades work

#1

Saylorville

unincorporated, Polk County · 3,366 people
A

Hazard risk grade, better than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #39 of 140 in IA

#2

Cresco

Howard County · 3,925 people
A

Hazard risk grade, better than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #22 of 140 in IA

#3

Indianola

Warren County · 16,829 people
A

Hazard risk grade, better than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #62 of 140 in IA

All 140 towns

Hazard risk grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

140 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1Saylorvilleunincorporated, Polk County · 3,366 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #39 of 140
2CrescoHoward County · 3,925 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #22 of 140
3IndianolaWarren County · 16,829 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #62 of 140
4WintersetMadison County · 5,520 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #33 of 140
5PellaMarion County · 10,992 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #7 of 140
6Pleasant HillPolk County · 11,239 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #116 of 140
7NorwalkWarren County · 15,004 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #2 of 140
8Storm LakeBuena Vista County · 11,590 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #108 of 140
9FairfieldJefferson County · 9,220 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #99 of 140
10JohnstonPolk County · 25,065 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #25 of 140
11EldridgeScott County · 6,954 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #10 of 140
12WaukonAllamakee County · 3,849 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #13 of 140
13AsburyDubuque County · 6,035 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #61 of 140
14AltoonaPolk County · 22,796 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #85 of 140
15West BurlingtonDes Moines County · 3,358 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #130 of 140
16HudsonBlack Hawk County · 3,028 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #12 of 140
17Des MoinesPolk County · 212,086 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #134 of 140
18GrinnellPoweshiek County · 9,430 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #81 of 140
19Mount PleasantHenry County · 8,500 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #83 of 140
20Sioux CenterSioux County · 8,864 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #29 of 140
21OskaloosaMahaska County · 11,493 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #80 of 140
22Orange CitySioux County · 6,468 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 140
23NewtonJasper County · 15,741 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #105 of 140
24HiawathaLinn County · 7,432 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #107 of 140
25KnoxvilleMarion County · 7,469 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #95 of 140
26Grundy CenterGrundy County · 2,814 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #4 of 140
27CarlisleWarren County · 4,532 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #24 of 140
28WashingtonWashington County · 7,261 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #120 of 140
29HamptonFranklin County · 4,264 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #87 of 140
30CentervilleAppanoose County · 5,327 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #123 of 140
31AlgonaKossuth County · 5,309 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #51 of 140
32Cedar FallsBlack Hawk County · 41,240 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #46 of 140
33MitchellvillePolk County · 2,671 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #3 of 140
34SheldonO'Brien County · 5,575 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #77 of 140
35CharitonLucas County · 4,347 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #101 of 140
36CrestonUnion County · 7,335 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #84 of 140
37West Des MoinesPolk County · 74,224 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #58 of 140
38RobinsLinn County · 3,366 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #89 of 140
39OnawaMonona County · 2,821 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #114 of 140
40OsceolaClarke County · 5,679 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #136 of 140
41Mount VernonLinn County · 4,514 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #6 of 140
42GrimesPolk County · 17,405 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #15 of 140
43WaterlooBlack Hawk County · 66,919 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #137 of 140
44Sergeant BluffWoodbury County · 5,324 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #18 of 140
45EmmetsburgPalo Alto County · 3,684 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #32 of 140
46BondurantPolk County · 9,647 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #45 of 140
47CarrollCarroll County · 10,085 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #40 of 140
48AnkenyPolk County · 77,833 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #30 of 140
49UrbandalePolk County · 48,570 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #23 of 140
50ClarindaPage County · 5,273 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #109 of 140
51WaukeeDallas County · 34,890 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #36 of 140
52PerryDallas County · 8,208 peopleB+better than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #93 of 140
53Le MarsPlymouth County · 10,760 peopleB+better than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #41 of 140
54TiptonCedar County · 3,060 peopleBbetter than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #38 of 140
55Polk CityPolk County · 6,630 peopleBbetter than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #8 of 140
56JeffersonGreene County · 4,150 peopleBbetter than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #94 of 140
57MarshalltownMarshall County · 27,536 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #113 of 140
58Cedar RapidsLinn County · 137,935 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #104 of 140
59Center PointLinn County · 2,572 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #5 of 140
60New HamptonChickasaw County · 3,420 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #55 of 140
61Missouri ValleyHarrison County · 2,616 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #73 of 140
62ShenandoahPage County · 4,808 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #102 of 140
63MuscatineMuscatine County · 23,164 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #117 of 140
64ClarionWright County · 2,758 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #67 of 140
65HuxleyStory County · 4,715 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #26 of 140
66TamaTama County · 3,011 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #131 of 140
67ClintonClinton County · 24,049 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #121 of 140
68GarnerHancock County · 3,029 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #34 of 140
69DubuqueDubuque County · 59,148 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #96 of 140
70FairfaxLinn County · 2,925 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #82 of 140
71SibleyOsceola County · 2,762 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #106 of 140
72NevadaStory County · 6,974 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #43 of 140
73DavenportScott County · 100,358 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #135 of 140
74AlbiaMonroe County · 3,599 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #69 of 140
75EldoraHardin County · 2,593 peopleBbetter than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #112 of 140
76BurlingtonDes Moines County · 23,336 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #118 of 140
77Clear LakeCerro Gordo County · 7,601 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #66 of 140
78WilliamsburgIowa County · 3,408 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #37 of 140
79AmesStory County · 68,220 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #72 of 140
80West LibertyMuscatine County · 3,717 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #103 of 140
81MarionLinn County · 42,732 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #31 of 140
82EsthervilleEmmet County · 5,807 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #78 of 140
83JesupBuchanan County · 2,557 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #54 of 140
84DeWittClinton County · 5,704 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #64 of 140
85MadridBoone County · 2,820 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #56 of 140
86Fort DodgeWebster County · 24,837 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #132 of 140
87ClivePolk County · 19,861 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #49 of 140
88OelweinFayette County · 5,757 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #128 of 140
89Spirit LakeDickinson County · 5,525 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #68 of 140
90BloomfieldDavis County · 2,785 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #79 of 140
91BettendorfScott County · 40,710 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #44 of 140
92Le ClaireScott County · 4,741 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #57 of 140
93WiltonMuscatine County · 2,892 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #63 of 140
94AtlanticCass County · 6,676 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #115 of 140
95BooneBoone County · 12,471 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #65 of 140
96Story CityStory County · 3,382 peopleC+better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #28 of 140
97Sioux CityWoodbury County · 86,356 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #129 of 140
98WaverlyBremer County · 10,561 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #59 of 140
99OsageMitchell County · 3,552 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #16 of 140
100Forest CityWinnebago County · 4,143 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #14 of 140
101Webster CityHamilton County · 7,815 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #91 of 140
102HarlanShelby County · 4,859 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #60 of 140
103EvansdaleBlack Hawk County · 4,463 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #140 of 140
104KeokukLee County · 9,510 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #138 of 140
105KalonaWashington County · 2,811 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #53 of 140
106DecorahWinneshiek County · 7,417 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #9 of 140
107Windsor HeightsPolk County · 5,059 peopleCbetter than 35% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #119 of 140
108MilfordDickinson County · 3,209 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #50 of 140
109DenisonCrawford County · 8,214 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #90 of 140
110Rock ValleySioux County · 4,188 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #17 of 140
111CamancheClinton County · 4,557 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #75 of 140
112AdelDallas County · 7,098 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #19 of 140
113MonticelloJones County · 4,104 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #27 of 140
114HumboldtHumboldt County · 4,675 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #86 of 140
115Eagle GroveWright County · 3,653 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #122 of 140
116West BranchCedar County · 2,956 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #35 of 140
117HawardenSioux County · 2,665 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #71 of 140
118OttumwaWapello County · 25,319 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #139 of 140
119CherokeeCherokee County · 5,122 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #70 of 140
120Mason CityCerro Gordo County · 26,853 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #110 of 140
121Red OakMontgomery County · 5,388 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #133 of 140
122Council BluffsPottawattamie County · 62,680 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #127 of 140
123North LibertyJohnson County · 21,976 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #47 of 140
124Rock RapidsLyon County · 2,733 peopleCbetter than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #20 of 140
125TiffinJohnson County · 7,156 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #74 of 140
126SolonJohnson County · 3,345 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #11 of 140
127CoralvilleJohnson County · 23,960 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #88 of 140
128MaquoketaJackson County · 6,027 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #124 of 140
129GlenwoodMills County · 5,287 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #42 of 140
130Iowa CityJohnson County · 76,229 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #92 of 140
131Carter LakePottawattamie County · 3,670 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #126 of 140
132IndependenceBuchanan County · 6,312 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #52 of 140
133AnamosaJones County · 5,901 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #97 of 140
134DyersvilleDubuque County · 4,574 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #21 of 140
135Fort MadisonLee County · 9,935 peopleDbetter than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #125 of 140
136VintonBenton County · 5,004 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #48 of 140
137Iowa FallsHardin County · 5,013 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #100 of 140
138ManchesterDelaware County · 5,357 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #98 of 140
139Charles CityFloyd County · 7,013 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #111 of 140
140SpencerClay County · 11,218 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #76 of 140
Quick answers

Questions people ask

Which Iowa town has the lowest natural-hazard risk?

Saylorville (Polk County) ranks first on hazard risk among 140 towns, with an A; Cresco and Indianola follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Hazard risk grade: FEMA’s expected yearly loss to buildings from natural hazards, where residents live (National Risk Index). Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a hazard risk grade (140 in Iowa). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Iowa page.

Go deeper

More Iowa lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Iowa rankings →
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Other states

Towns with the lowest natural-hazard risk in other states

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