Harper County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Harper County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Harper County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hail, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 67% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Harper County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1967, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (14), biological (2), snowstorm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Snowstorm | Snowstorm |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 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 | 79.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 16.3 | 9 | 0 | $400 |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 27.3 | 124 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 47.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 62.7 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 22.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 83.5 | 32 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 47.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 18.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 66.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 70.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 18.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 88 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 17.7 | 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
Harper County ranks in the 63rd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 63rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 54th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 99th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 36th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 23rd | 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 | 79th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 83rd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 39.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 44 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 33 in 2016–20 vs 11 in 2021–25 (-67% — 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 Harper County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Harper County, Kansas are drought, hail, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Harper County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Harper County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (14 declarations).
Has Harper County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Harper County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Harper County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Sedgwick County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Grant County, OK has the lowest (Very Low). Harper County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Harper County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Harper 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. Harper County's composite score of 31 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 31% of US counties.