Ozark County, MO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ozark County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Ozark County's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, ice storm, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 32% 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. Ozark County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (16), flood (4), severe ice storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms 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 |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 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 | 60.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 42 | 162 | 0 | $9.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 64.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 84.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 51.8 | 4 | 3 | $2.1M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 27.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 10.8 | 31 | 0 | $26K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 55.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 41.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 82.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 41.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 39.1 | 2 | 0 | $201K |
| Drought | Very Low | 30.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 78.7 | 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
Ozark County ranks in the 56th 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 | 56th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 92nd | High |
| Household characteristics | 31st | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 8th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 30th | 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 | 74th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 71st | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 96.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 195 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 84 in 2016–20 vs 111 in 2021–25 (+32% — frequency increasing).
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 Ozark County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ozark County, Missouri are heat wave, ice storm, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Ozark County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ozark County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (16 declarations).
Has Ozark County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Ozark County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Ozark County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Taney County, MO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Douglas County, MO has the lowest (Very Low). Ozark County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Ozark County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ozark 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. Ozark County's composite score of 36 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 36% of US counties.