Taney County, MO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Taney County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Taney County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, landslide, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 26% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (79th 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. Taney County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1976, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (13), flood (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1976.
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 | 67.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 89.1 | 82 | 6 | $12.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 76 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 77.7 | 11 | 0 | $450K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 38.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 67.3 | 89 | 0 | $1.2M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 75.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 82.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 97.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 79.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 85.6 | 1 | 0 | $250K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 45.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 92.5 | 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
Taney County ranks in the 79th percentile (High) 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 | 79th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 79th | High |
| Household characteristics | 60th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 38th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 91st | 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 | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 69th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 64.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 183 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 105 in 2016–20 vs 78 in 2021–25 (-26% — 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 Taney County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Taney County, Missouri are ice storm, landslide, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Taney County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Taney County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (13 declarations).
Has Taney County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Taney County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2023.
How does Taney County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Stone County, MO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Ozark County, MO has the lowest (Very Low). Taney County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Taney County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Taney 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. Taney County's composite score of 84 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 84% of US counties.