Atchison County, MO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Atchison County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Atchison County's highest-rated hazards are drought, landslide, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 70% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (22nd percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Atchison County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (9), flood (8), severe ice storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1965.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 28.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 25.6 | 7 | 0 | $100K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 14.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 62.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 43.6 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 60.3 | 25 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 22.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 25.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 27.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 38.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 13.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 90.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 76.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Atchison County ranks in the 22nd percentile (Very low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 22nd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 33rd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 54th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 8th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 13th | Very low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 42nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 42nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 44.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 35 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 27 in 2016–20 vs 8 in 2021–25 (-70% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Atchison County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Atchison County, Missouri are drought, landslide, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Atchison County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Atchison County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 declarations).
Has Atchison County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Atchison County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Atchison County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Nodaway County, MO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Nemaha County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Atchison County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Atchison County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Atchison County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Atchison County's composite score of 22 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 22% of US counties.