Ripley County, MO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ripley County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Ripley County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, ice storm, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 19% 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. Ripley County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (14), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 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 | 44.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 59.4 | 26 | 0 | $4.9M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 87.9 | 3 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 77.1 | 50 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 57.8 | 4 | 0 | $2.0M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 40.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 12.9 | 23 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 53.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 52.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 79.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 71.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 43.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 35.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 62.3 | 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
Ripley County ranks in the 48th 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 | 48th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 82nd | High |
| Household characteristics | 44th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 16th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 14th | 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 | 63rd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 59th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 89.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 103 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 47 in 2016–20 vs 56 in 2021–25 (+19% — 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 Ripley County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ripley County, Missouri are earthquake, ice storm, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Ripley County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ripley County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (14 declarations).
Has Ripley County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Ripley County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Ripley County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Butler County, MO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Oregon County, MO has the lowest (Relatively Low). Ripley County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Ripley County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ripley 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. Ripley County's composite score of 57 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 57% of US counties.