Poweshiek County, IA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Poweshiek County has experienced 15 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Poweshiek County's highest-rated hazards are drought, strong wind, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 15% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (23rd 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. Poweshiek County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1969, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (7), flood (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 46.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 20.3 | 9 | 0 | $460K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 25.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 48.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 59.8 | 9 | 0 | $15K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 11.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 74.3 | 17 | 0 | $50K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 78.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 46.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 42.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 39.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 20 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 95.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 71.8 | 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
Poweshiek County ranks in the 23rd 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 | 23rd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 21st | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 7th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 24th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 69th | 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 | 40th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 38th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 36.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 37 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 20 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (-15% — 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 Poweshiek County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Poweshiek County, Iowa are drought, strong wind, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Poweshiek County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Poweshiek County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Poweshiek County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Poweshiek County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Poweshiek County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Marshall County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Keokuk County, IA has the lowest (Very Low). Poweshiek County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Poweshiek County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Poweshiek 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. Poweshiek County's composite score of 31 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 31% of US counties.