Ray County, MO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ray County has experienced 33 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Ray County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, cold wave, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 17% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (9th 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. Ray County has been designated in 33 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (17), flood (8), severe ice storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 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 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 33 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 | 55 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 48.8 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 35.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 70.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 57.9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 63.6 | 16 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 40.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 64.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 62.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 78.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 43.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 65.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 80.4 | 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
Ray County ranks in the 9th 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 | 9th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 29th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 13th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 16th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 5th | 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 | 50th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 48th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 71.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 26 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 12 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (+17% — 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 Ray County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ray County, Missouri are landslide, cold wave, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Ray County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ray County has received 33 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (17 declarations).
Has Ray County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Ray County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2021.
How does Ray County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jackson County, MO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Caldwell County, MO has the lowest (Very Low). Ray County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Ray County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ray 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. Ray County's composite score of 44 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 44% of US counties.