Decatur County, IA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Decatur County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Decatur County's highest-rated hazards are drought, landslide, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Decatur County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1969, covering 5 disaster types including flood (6), severe storm (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 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 | 52.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 15.8 | 5 | 0 | $300K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 18.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 63.6 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 48.3 | 2 | 0 | $500K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 8.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 47.6 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 41.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 16.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 22.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 55.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 16.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 94.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 72.7 | 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
Decatur County ranks in the 52nd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 52nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 52nd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 17th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 24th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 87th | 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 | 62nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 60th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 67.6% | — |
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 Decatur County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Decatur County, Iowa are drought, landslide, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Decatur County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Decatur County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (6 declarations).
Has Decatur County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Decatur County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Decatur County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lucas County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Mercer County, MO has the lowest (Very Low). Decatur County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Decatur County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Decatur 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. Decatur County's composite score of 24 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 24% of US counties.