St. Charles County, MO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
St. Charles County has experienced 28 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
St. Charles County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, hail, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 60% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (3rd 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. St. Charles County has been designated in 28 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (11), flood (9), severe ice storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 28 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 | 58.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 94.2 | 11 | 2 | $11.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 94.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 95.6 | 14 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 96.4 | 9 | 1 | $3.6M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 22.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 97.6 | 70 | 0 | $24.0M |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 98.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 89 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 71.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 92.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 89.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 32.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 92.8 | 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
St. Charles County ranks in the 3rd 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 | 3rd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 2nd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 8th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 43rd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 12th | 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 | 36th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 34th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 18.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 104 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 40 in 2016–20 vs 64 in 2021–25 (+60% — 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 St. Charles County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in St. Charles County, Missouri are strong wind, hail, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has St. Charles County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. St. Charles County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has St. Charles County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for St. Charles County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Flooding in 2022.
How does St. Charles County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, St. Louis County, MO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Calhoun County, IL has the lowest (Very Low). St. Charles County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is St. Charles County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
St. Charles 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. St. Charles County's composite score of 93 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 93% of US counties.