Kearny County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Kearny County has experienced 11 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Kearny County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hail, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 59% 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. Kearny County has been designated in 11 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (6), biological (2), snowstorm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 11 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 | 32.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 3.2 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 13.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 21.1 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 69.3 | 68 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 23.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 38 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 16.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 25.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 17.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 93.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 3.1 | 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
Kearny County ranks in the 54th 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 | 54th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 56th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 92nd | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 76th | High |
| 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 | 37th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 39th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 48.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 76 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 54 in 2016–20 vs 22 in 2021–25 (-59% — 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 Kearny County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Kearny County, Kansas are drought, hail, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Kearny County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Kearny County has received 11 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Kearny County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Kearny County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Kearny County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Finney County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Hamilton County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Kearny County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Kearny County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Kearny 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. Kearny County's composite score of 8 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 8% of US counties.