Dallas County, IA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Dallas County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Dallas County's highest-rated hazards are drought, tornado, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 59% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (5th 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. Dallas County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (9), flood (6), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 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 |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 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 | 40.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 60.4 | 22 | 0 | $660K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 25.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 74.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 84.7 | 9 | 0 | $67K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 12.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 81.6 | 48 | 0 | $25K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 67.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 71.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 68.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 58.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 51 | 5 | 0 | $70K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 93.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 59.9 | 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
Dallas County ranks in the 5th 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 | 5th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 1st | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 22nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 48th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 14th | 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 | 29th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 28th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 29.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 86 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 61 in 2016–20 vs 25 in 2021–25 (-59% — 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 Dallas County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Dallas County, Iowa are drought, tornado, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Dallas County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Dallas County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 declarations).
Has Dallas County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Dallas County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Dallas County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Polk County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Guthrie County, IA has the lowest (Very Low). Dallas County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Dallas County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Dallas 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. Dallas County's composite score of 61 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 61% of US counties.