Clayton County, IA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Clayton County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Clayton County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, hail, and drought, 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 (28th 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. Clayton County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1965, covering 4 disaster types including flood (14), severe storm (10), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | 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 27 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 | 12.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 58 | 93 | 0 | $3.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 14.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 42.6 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 54 | 3 | 1 | $870K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 14.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 82.4 | 32 | 0 | $29K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 41.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 30.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 21.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 54.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 18.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 64.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 91.1 | 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
Clayton County ranks in the 28th percentile (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 | 28th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 29th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 60th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 4th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 30th | 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 | 19th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 19th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 50.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 133 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 102 in 2016–20 vs 31 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 Clayton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Clayton County, Iowa are landslide, hail, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Clayton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Clayton County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (14 declarations).
Has Clayton County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Clayton County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Flooding in 2023.
How does Clayton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Dubuque County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Allamakee County, IA has the lowest (Very Low). Clayton County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Clayton County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Clayton 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. Clayton County's composite score of 42 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 42% of US counties.