Sumner County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Sumner County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Sumner County's highest-rated hazards are hail, tornado, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 58% 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. Sumner County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (19), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 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 | Relatively Low | 64.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 46.7 | 22 | 0 | $2.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 31.7 | 45 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 66.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 79 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 20.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 80.6 | 67 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 66.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 41.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 74 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 66.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 16.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 77.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 32.4 | 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
Sumner County ranks in the 33rd 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 | 33rd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 38th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 39th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 35th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 31st | 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 | 32nd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 38th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 39.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 92 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 65 in 2016–20 vs 27 in 2021–25 (-58% — 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 Sumner County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Sumner County, Kansas are hail, tornado, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Sumner County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Sumner County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (19 declarations).
Has Sumner County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Sumner County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Sumner County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Sedgwick County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Grant County, OK has the lowest (Very Low). Sumner County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Sumner County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Sumner 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. Sumner County's composite score of 49 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 49% of US counties.