Jackson County, IA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Jackson County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1965, 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.
Jackson County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, hail, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 37 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (8th 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. Jackson County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1965, covering 4 disaster types including severe storm (10), flood (8), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2023 | Flood | 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 |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 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 | 35.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 43.3 | 12 | 0 | $1K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 26.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 35.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 54.8 | 12 | 0 | $5.3M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 10.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 82.5 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 70.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 30.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 35.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 57.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 16.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 78.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 88.9 | 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
Jackson County ranks in the 8th 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 | 8th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 12th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 10th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 6th | Very 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 | 36th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 34th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 44.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 37 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 18 in 2016–20 vs 19 in 2021–25 (+6% — relatively stable).
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 Jackson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Jackson County, Iowa are landslide, hail, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Jackson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Jackson County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Jackson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Jackson County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024), Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Jackson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Scott County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Jones County, IA has the lowest (Very Low). Jackson County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Jackson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Jackson 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. Jackson County's composite score of 36 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 36% of US counties.