Graham County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Graham County has experienced 16 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.
Graham County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hail, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 88 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (28th 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. Graham County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1993, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (10), 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 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 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 | 33 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 4.5 | 18 | 0 | $728K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 4.3 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 15.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 24.6 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 70.7 | 65 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 27 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 36.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 24.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 15 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 8.5 | 1 | 0 | $500 |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 76.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 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
Graham County ranks in the 28th 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 | 28th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 49th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 61st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 37th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 3rd | 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 | 45th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 48th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 54.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 88 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 47 in 2016–20 vs 41 in 2021–25 (-13% — 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 Graham County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Graham County, Kansas are drought, hail, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Graham County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Graham County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1993, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Graham County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Graham 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 Graham County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Phillips County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Trego County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Graham County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Graham County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Graham 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. Graham County's composite score of 4 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 4% of US counties.