Jasper County, MO

FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data

Population: 122,722 · Cities: Joplin , Carthage , Webb City

Relatively Moderate Riskier than 86% of US counties
Very Low Relatively Low Relatively Moderate Relatively High Very High

Jasper County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.

Jasper County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, tornado, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 33% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (75th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.

Past disasters & FEMA designations

A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Jasper County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1973, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (11), flood (5), severe ice storm (4).

2002–2026
Year Type Event name
2026 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
2017 Flood Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding
2016 Flood Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
2016 Flood Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
2011 Severe Storm Severe Winter Storm
2011 Severe Storm Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
2009 Severe Ice Storm Severe Winter Storm

Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1973.

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 66.3 0 0
Inland Flooding Relatively Moderate 84.9 92 0 $621K
Coastal Flooding Not Applicable 0 0
Earthquake Relatively Low 79
Heat Wave Relatively Moderate 94.4 1 1
Tornado Relatively High 95.6 9 0 $6.3M
Hurricane Very Low 38.6 0 0
Hail Relatively Moderate 90.7 85 0 $3.0M
Strong Wind Relatively High 88.4 0 0
Winter Weather Relatively High 87.3 0 0
Ice Storm Very High 96.8
Cold Wave Relatively Moderate 70.4
Lightning Relatively High 88.5 8 0 $68K
Drought Relatively High 92.6 0 0
Landslide Very Low 32.6 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

Jasper County ranks in the 75th percentile (High) 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 75th High
Socioeconomic status 75th High
Household characteristics 77th High
Racial & ethnic minority status 49th Low
Housing type & transportation 63rd Moderate

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 45.1%

NOAA tracked 192 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 115 in 2016–20 vs 77 in 2021–25 (-33% — 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

Compare Jasper County with other counties → All Missouri counties →

Frequently asked questions

What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Jasper County?

According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Jasper County, Missouri are ice storm, tornado, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.

Has Jasper County received federal disaster declarations?

Yes. Jasper County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).

Has Jasper County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?

Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Jasper County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.

How does Jasper County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?

Among neighboring counties, Newton County, MO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Dade County, MO has the lowest (Very Low). Jasper County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.

How is Jasper County's composite disaster risk index calculated?

Jasper 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. Jasper County's composite score of 86 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 86% of US counties.

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