Iowa County, IA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Iowa County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Iowa County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, drought, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 20% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (5th 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. Iowa County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1969, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (9), flood (9), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2008 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 61.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 32.6 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 26.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 49.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 59.9 | 5 | 0 | $1K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 10.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 73.5 | 28 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 81.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 52.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 44.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 24.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 17.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 75.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 70.6 | 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
Iowa County ranks in the 5th 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 | 5th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 3rd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 32nd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 15th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 12th | 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 | 48th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 46th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 36.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 45 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 25 in 2016–20 vs 20 in 2021–25 (-20% — 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 Iowa County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Iowa County, Iowa are strong wind, drought, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Iowa County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Iowa County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 declarations).
Has Iowa County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Iowa County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Iowa County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Johnson County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Keokuk County, IA has the lowest (Very Low). Iowa County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Iowa County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Iowa 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. Iowa County's composite score of 28 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 28% of US counties.