Butler County, IA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Butler County has experienced 25 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.
Butler County's highest-rated hazards are drought, winter weather, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 66% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (3rd 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. Butler County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1965, covering 4 disaster types including severe storm (11), flood (11), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | 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 |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 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 | 22.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 37.2 | 39 | 0 | $2.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 9.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 12.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 48.3 | 4 | 0 | $308K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 10 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 55.4 | 40 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 53.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 58.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 20.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 45.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 6.9 | 2 | 0 | $160K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 88.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 21.9 | 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
Butler County ranks in the 3rd 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 | 3rd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 8th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 17th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 4th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 4th | 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 | 16th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 17th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 33.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 86 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 64 in 2016–20 vs 22 in 2021–25 (-66% — 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 Butler County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Butler County, Iowa are drought, winter weather, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Butler County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Butler County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Butler County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Butler County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Butler County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Black Hawk County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Grundy County, IA has the lowest (Very Low). Butler County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Butler County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Butler 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. Butler County's composite score of 27 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 27% of US counties.