Franklin County, MO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Franklin County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Franklin County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, heat wave, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 43% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (11th 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. Franklin County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including flood (9), severe storm (8), severe ice storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
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 | Relatively Low | 66.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 85.4 | 11 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 89.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 93.7 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 86.5 | 8 | 0 | $1.7M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 18.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 88.7 | 47 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 93.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 68 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 78.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 75.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 68.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 30.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 88.1 | 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
Franklin County ranks in the 11th 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 | 11th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 29th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 7th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 25th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 10th | 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 | 47th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 44th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 71.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 73 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 30 in 2016–20 vs 43 in 2021–25 (+43% — frequency increasing).
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 Franklin County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Franklin County, Missouri are strong wind, heat wave, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Franklin County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Franklin County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is flood (9 declarations).
Has Franklin County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Franklin County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Franklin County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, St. Charles County, MO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Gasconade County, MO has the lowest (Very Low). Franklin County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Franklin County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Franklin 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. Franklin County's composite score of 84 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 84% of US counties.