Nodaway County, MO

FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data

Population: 21,217

Relatively Low Riskier than 46% of US counties
Very Low Relatively Low Relatively Moderate Relatively High Very High

Nodaway County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.

Nodaway County's highest-rated hazards are drought, tornado, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 32% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (22nd 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. Nodaway County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (11), flood (4), severe ice storm (3).

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
2015 Severe Storm Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
2015 Severe Storm Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
2011 Severe Storm Severe Winter Storm
2010 Severe Storm Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes
2009 Severe Ice Storm Severe Winter Storm
2008 Severe Ice Storm Severe Winter Storms

Showing the 10 most recent of 22 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 53 0 0
Inland Flooding Relatively Low 51 5 0
Coastal Flooding Not Applicable 0 0
Earthquake Very Low 19.4
Heat Wave Relatively Low 57.2 1 0
Tornado Relatively Moderate 75.3 5 0
Hurricane No Rating 0 0 0
Hail Relatively Low 72.9 40 0
Strong Wind Relatively Low 38 0 0
Winter Weather Relatively Low 39.9 0 0
Ice Storm Relatively Low 41
Cold Wave Relatively Low 54.4
Lightning Relatively Moderate 66.3 1 1
Drought Relatively Moderate 84.5 0 0
Landslide Relatively Low 70.5 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

Nodaway County ranks in the 22nd 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 22nd Very low
Socioeconomic status 37th Low
Household characteristics 1st Very low
Racial & ethnic minority status 17th Very low
Housing type & transportation 65th 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 45th Relatively Moderate
Risk to homes 43rd Relatively Moderate
Buildings in direct exposure zone 55.1%

NOAA tracked 52 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 31 in 2016–20 vs 21 in 2021–25 (-32% — 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 Nodaway County with other counties → All Missouri counties →

Frequently asked questions

What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Nodaway County?

According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Nodaway County, Missouri are drought, tornado, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.

Has Nodaway County received federal disaster declarations?

Yes. Nodaway County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).

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

Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Nodaway County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.

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

Among neighboring counties, Page County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Worth County, MO has the lowest (Very Low). Nodaway County is rated Relatively Low overall.

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

Nodaway 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. Nodaway County's composite score of 46 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 46% of US counties.

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