Photo: Elkman · CC BY-SA 3.0Storms, floods and disasters in Aitkin Township
Aitkin Township isn’t graded for hazard risk: Aitkin Township has 862 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 2001.
What Aitkin Township 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
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.
Does Aitkin Township flood? Sometimes: 12 flood claims since 2001
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Aitkin Township, from FEMA’s records.
- The Severe flooding3 claims · $12K
Aitkin Township isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Aitkin County.3 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Aitkin Township
Disasters that paid out in Aitkin Township itself (aid to households or repair grants to Aitkin Township), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.
- 2023Severe Storms and Flooding$76K to Aitkin Township for repairs1 flood claim paid that year
- 2012Severe Storms and Flooding$75K to Aitkin Township for repairs7 flood claims paid that year
- 2001Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes$30K to Aitkin Township for repairs4 flood claims paid that year
Aitkin County has had 17 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often floods, then severe storms. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Old photos of Aitkin Township after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Aitkin Township archive →Aitkin Township and its neighbors
How expected damage per building compares across the town line. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farm Island Township | C−more damage than 84% | river and rain flooding | — |
| Aitkin | Dmore damage than 90% | river and rain flooding | 1 |
| Rabbit Lake Township | — | 388 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
| Spencer Township | — | 562 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
Hazard risk = FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade; the map is shaded by fifths of the same scale. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.
Get ready for what Aitkin Township faces
A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.
- 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.
- 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.
Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.
Questions about natural hazards in Aitkin Township
Does Aitkin Township flood?
Flood insurance has paid 12 claims in Aitkin Township since 2001, $155K in all. The most claims came from Severe flooding (3).
Is Aitkin Township 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 Aitkin County, 0.5% of all homes carry federal flood insurance.
How much is flood insurance in Aitkin Township?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Aitkin Township’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 Aitkin Township?
By FEMA money that reached Aitkin Township, Severe Storms and Flooding (2023): $76K to Aitkin Township for repairs. By flood claims, Severe flooding: 3 paid, $12K.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Aitkin Township.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Aitkin Township’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.