Ellis County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ellis County has experienced 15 federally declared disasters since 1993, most recently Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Ellis County's highest-rated hazards are hail, winter weather, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 161 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (24th 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. Ellis County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1993, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (9), snowstorm (2), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires |
| 2022 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | Snowstorm | Snowstorm |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 total declarations since 1993.
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 | 60.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 34.4 | 21 | 0 | $100K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 23.3 | 7 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 17 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 57.6 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 85 | 134 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 73.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 82.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 78.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 54.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 66.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 60.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 12.2 | 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
Ellis County ranks in the 24th 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 | 24th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 36th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 3rd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 34th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 50th | Moderate |
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 | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 29.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 161 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 78 in 2016–20 vs 83 in 2021–25 (+6% — relatively stable).
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 Ellis County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ellis County, Kansas are hail, winter weather, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Ellis County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ellis County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1993, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 declarations).
Has Ellis County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Ellis County include Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1993.
How does Ellis County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Barton County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Trego County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Ellis County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Ellis County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ellis 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. Ellis County's composite score of 33 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 33% of US counties.