Holt County, MO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Holt County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Holt County's highest-rated hazards are drought, landslide, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 48% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (17th 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. Holt County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (11), flood (8), severe ice storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 32.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 21.7 | 6 | 0 | $200K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 16.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 51.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 40.8 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 49 | 21 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 18.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 15.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 35 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 27.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 11.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 86.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 72.8 | 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
Holt County ranks in the 17th 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 | 17th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 25th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 58th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 6th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 8th | 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 | 46th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 46th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 48.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 32 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 21 in 2016–20 vs 11 in 2021–25 (-48% — 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 Holt County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Holt County, Missouri are drought, landslide, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Holt County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Holt County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Holt County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Holt County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Holt County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Nodaway County, MO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Richardson County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Holt County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Holt County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Holt 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. Holt County's composite score of 16 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 16% of US counties.