Natural Disaster Risk in Rice

Natural Hazard Profile: Rice, Minnesota

Rice is a town of roughly 7,209 residents in Benton County, in the northern tier of the continental United States. The area experiences some of the harshest winters in the lower 48 and warm summers, with severe blizzards and spring tornado outbreaks shaping the pattern of natural hazards that residents encounter. Understanding the local risk profile is essential for anyone living in, moving to, or owning property in Rice.

According to FEMA's National Risk Index, Rice carries an overall risk score of 5.5/10, placing it in the moderate category. Hail is the primary natural disaster concern, with severe storms delivering baseball-sized or larger hailstones that cause significant insured losses each year. The area also faces notable exposure to wind and tornado.

Rice's risk score, near the 5.2/10 state average and above the U.S. national average of 4.5/10. Of the 18 hazard categories tracked by FEMA for Benton County, the highest-scoring are hail, wind, and tornado. These scores reflect county-level data and represent the baseline risk that all communities in the county share.

Rice's moderate risk profile means that while catastrophic events are less frequent, they do occur. Standard homeowners insurance typically covers many common hazards here, but confirming that hail exposure is adequately protected is a worthwhile step for property owners.