Leavenworth County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Leavenworth County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Leavenworth County's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, ice storm, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 34% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (25th 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. Leavenworth County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1967, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (12), flood (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1967.
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 | 59 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 61.8 | 26 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 35.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 86.5 | 2 | 0 | $26.0M |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 86.3 | 40 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 84 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 86.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 87.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 77 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 57.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 45.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 73.6 | 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
Leavenworth County ranks in the 25th 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 | 25th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 21st | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 15th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 56th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 44th | 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 | 52nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 50th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 60.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 68 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 41 in 2016–20 vs 27 in 2021–25 (-34% — 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 Leavenworth County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Leavenworth County, Kansas are heat wave, ice storm, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Leavenworth County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Leavenworth County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Leavenworth County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Leavenworth County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Leavenworth County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Johnson County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Atchison County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Leavenworth County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Leavenworth County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Leavenworth 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. Leavenworth County's composite score of 66 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 66% of US counties.