Buena Vista County, IA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Buena Vista County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Buena Vista County's highest-rated hazards are hail, winter weather, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 21% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Buena Vista County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (10), flood (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 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 | 17.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 32.9 | 26 | 0 | $4.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 19.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 26.3 | 18 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 74 | 9 | 0 | $550K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 91.9 | 22 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 62.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 76.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 50.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 61.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 19.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 74.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 40.5 | 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
Buena Vista County ranks in the 63rd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 63rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 41st | Low |
| Household characteristics | 61st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 83rd | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 74th | Moderate |
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 | 11th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 12th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 21.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 75 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 34 in 2016–20 vs 41 in 2021–25 (+21% — frequency increasing).
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 Buena Vista County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Buena Vista County, Iowa are hail, winter weather, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Buena Vista County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Buena Vista County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Buena Vista County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Buena Vista County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024), Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Buena Vista County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Clay County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Palo Alto County, IA has the lowest (Very Low). Buena Vista County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Buena Vista County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Buena Vista 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. Buena Vista County's composite score of 39 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 39% of US counties.