Des Moines County, IA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Des Moines County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Des Moines County's highest-rated hazards are hail, drought, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 70 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Des Moines County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including flood (13), severe storm (10), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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 | 42.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 56 | 36 | 0 | $108K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 56.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 69.4 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 15.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 90.1 | 28 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 85 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 59.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 67 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 36.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 66.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 85 | 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
Des Moines County ranks in the 42nd 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 | 42nd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 22nd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 80th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 43rd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 47th | 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 | 42nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 40th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 22.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 70 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 37 in 2016–20 vs 33 in 2021–25 (-11% — 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 Des Moines County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Des Moines County, Iowa are hail, drought, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Des Moines County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Des Moines County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (13 declarations).
Has Des Moines County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Des Moines County include Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Des Moines County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lee County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Mercer County, IL has the lowest (Very Low). Des Moines County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Des Moines County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Des Moines 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. Des Moines County's composite score of 56 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 56% of US counties.