Knox County, MO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Knox County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Knox County's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, drought, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (27th 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. Knox County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (16), severe ice storm (3), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2023 | 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 |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 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 | Very Low | 35.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 23.3 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 30.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 87.8 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 39.6 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 14.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 41.7 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 30.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 10 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 6.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 24.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 40.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 61.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 55.5 | 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
Knox County ranks in the 27th percentile (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 | 27th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 66th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 34th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 10th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 5th | 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 | 45th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 42nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 61.7% | — |
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 Knox County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Knox County, Missouri are heat wave, drought, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Knox County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Knox County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (16 declarations).
Has Knox County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Knox County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Knox County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Scotland County, MO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Schuyler County, MO has the lowest (Very Low). Knox County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Knox County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Knox 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. Knox County's composite score of 21 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 21% of US counties.