Shawnee County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Shawnee County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Shawnee County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, ice storm, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 79% 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. Shawnee County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1966, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (8), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1966.
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 Low | 75.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 90 | 31 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 59.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 95 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 95.9 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 87.4 | 104 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 79.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 98.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 97.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 95.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 46.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 63.8 | 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
Shawnee County ranks in the 61st 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 | 61st | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 39th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 71st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 64th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 75th | High |
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 | 64th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 65th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 33.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 142 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 117 in 2016–20 vs 25 in 2021–25 (-79% — 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 Shawnee County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Shawnee County, Kansas are winter weather, ice storm, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Shawnee County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Shawnee County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (8 declarations).
Has Shawnee County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Shawnee County include Severe Winter Storm (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1966.
How does Shawnee County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Douglas County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Wabaunsee County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Shawnee County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Shawnee County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Shawnee 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. Shawnee County's composite score of 88 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 88% of US counties.