Cooper County, MO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cooper County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Cooper County's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, drought, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Cooper County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (11), flood (6), severe ice storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 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 | Very Low | 40.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 29.9 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 47.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 67.9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 50.8 | 2 | 0 | $100K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 12.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 12.8 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 20.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 33.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 40.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 42.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 20.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 64.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 37.8 | 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
Cooper County ranks in the 37th 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 | 37th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 44th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 32nd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 36th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 38th | 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 | 46th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 44th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 65.5% | — |
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 Cooper County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cooper County, Missouri are heat wave, drought, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Cooper County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cooper County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Cooper County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cooper County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Cooper County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Boone County, MO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Howard County, MO has the lowest (Very Low). Cooper County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Cooper County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cooper 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. Cooper County's composite score of 20 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 20% of US counties.