Phelps County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Phelps County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Phelps County's highest-rated hazards are hail, drought, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 35% 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. Phelps County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1967, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (7), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 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 | 7.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 17 | 3 | 0 | $135K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 13.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 23.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 45 | 9 | 0 | $1.5M |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 97.7 | 34 | 0 | $5.0M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 77.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 58.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 52.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 33 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 91.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 2.4 | 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
Phelps County ranks in the 32nd 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 | 32nd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 17th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 51st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 25th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 63rd | 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 | 22nd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 24th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 26.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 47 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 20 in 2016–20 vs 27 in 2021–25 (+35% — 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 Phelps County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Phelps County, Nebraska are hail, drought, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Phelps County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Phelps County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Phelps County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Phelps County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Phelps County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Buffalo County, NE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Gosper County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Phelps County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Phelps County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Phelps 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. Phelps County's composite score of 39 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 39% of US counties.