Osage County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Osage County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1967, 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.
Osage County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, winter weather, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 58% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (19th 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. Osage County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1967, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (15), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Snowstorm | Snowstorm |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 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 | Relatively Low | 74.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 30.2 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 27.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 61.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 57 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 75.3 | 61 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 60.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 79.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 96.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 38.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 78.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 56 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 44.5 | 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
Osage County ranks in the 19th 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 | 19th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 28th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 43rd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 18th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 13th | 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 | 71st | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 76th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 65.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 78 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 55 in 2016–20 vs 23 in 2021–25 (-58% — 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 Osage County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Osage County, Kansas are ice storm, winter weather, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Osage County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Osage County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (15 declarations).
Has Osage County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Osage County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Winter Storm (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Osage County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Shawnee County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Wabaunsee County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Osage County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Osage County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Osage 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. Osage County's composite score of 35 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 35% of US counties.