Sedgwick County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Sedgwick County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Sedgwick County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, tornado, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 57% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (73rd percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Sedgwick County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (8), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 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 | Relatively Moderate | 94.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 96.1 | 124 | 1 | $1.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 75.2 | 13 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 98.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 99.3 | 1 | 0 | $4.5M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 42.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 99 | 297 | 0 | $2K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 87.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 97.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 99.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98.1 | 3 | 0 | $50K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 63.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 49.2 | 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
Sedgwick County ranks in the 73rd 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 | 73rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 66th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 81st | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 71st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 56th | 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 | 46th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 54th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 13.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 419 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 292 in 2016–20 vs 127 in 2021–25 (-57% — 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 Sedgwick County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Sedgwick County, Kansas are ice storm, tornado, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Sedgwick County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Sedgwick County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (8 declarations).
Has Sedgwick County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Sedgwick County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Sedgwick County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Reno County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Kingman County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Sedgwick County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Sedgwick County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Sedgwick 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. Sedgwick County's composite score of 97 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 97% of US counties.