Gage County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Gage County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Gage County's highest-rated hazards are hail, strong wind, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 26% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (23rd 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. Gage County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1967, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (13), flood (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010 | Flood | Severe Storms, Ice Jams, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 total declarations since 1967.
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 | 78.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 32.4 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 19.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 48.6 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 78.4 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 88.9 | 43 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 79.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 77.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 78.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 16.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 72.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 63.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 33.7 | 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
Gage County ranks in the 23rd 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 | 23rd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 20th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 50th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 14th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 33rd | 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 | 46th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 56th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 35.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 70 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 31 in 2016–20 vs 39 in 2021–25 (+26% — 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 Gage County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Gage County, Nebraska are hail, strong wind, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Gage County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Gage County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (13 declarations).
Has Gage County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Gage County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Gage County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lancaster County, NE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Pawnee County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Gage County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Gage County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Gage 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. Gage County's composite score of 41 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 41% of US counties.