Clarke County, IA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Clarke County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Storms And Tornadoes in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Clarke County's highest-rated hazards are drought, landslide, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 46% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (81st percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Clarke County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1969, covering 7 disaster types including flood (6), severe storm (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tornado | Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2008 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1998 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 42 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 9.6 | 3 | 0 | $220K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 14.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 54.3 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 44.6 | 4 | 0 | $765K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 7.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 45.3 | 55 | 0 | $145K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 35 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 22.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 34.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 59.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 9.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 92.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 67.5 | 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
Clarke County ranks in the 81st percentile (High) 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 | 81st | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 63rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 91st | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 55th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 84th | High |
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 | 58th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 57th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 62.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 64 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 26 in 2016–20 vs 38 in 2021–25 (+46% — 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 Clarke County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Clarke County, Iowa are drought, landslide, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Clarke County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Clarke County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (6 declarations).
Has Clarke County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Clarke County include Severe Storms And Tornadoes (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Clarke County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Union County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Wayne County, IA has the lowest (Very Low). Clarke County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Clarke County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Clarke 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. Clarke County's composite score of 18 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 18% of US counties.