Brown County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Brown County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Brown County's highest-rated hazards are drought, wildfire, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 57% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (19th 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. Brown County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1973, covering 4 disaster types including severe storm (12), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 total declarations since 1973.
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 | Relatively Low | 71.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 17.7 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 22.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 56.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 55 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 60.7 | 23 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 27.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 26.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 54.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 20.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 21.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 73.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 43.2 | 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
Brown County ranks in the 19th 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 | 19th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 32nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 33rd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 52nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 5th | 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 | 51st | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 50th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 42.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 33 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 23 in 2016–20 vs 10 in 2021–25 (-57% — 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 Brown County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Brown County, Kansas are drought, wildfire, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Brown County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Brown County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Brown County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Brown County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds in 2022.
How does Brown County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jackson County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Richardson County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Brown County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Brown County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Brown 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. Brown County's composite score of 15 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 15% of US counties.