Taylor County, IA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Taylor County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1979, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Taylor County's highest-rated hazards are drought, heat wave, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 56% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (13th 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. Taylor County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1979, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (6), biological (2), severe ice storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2008 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 1998 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 total declarations since 1979.
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 | 36.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 20.9 | 2 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 18.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.5 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 54.3 | 7 | 0 | $135K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 10.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 62.5 | 28 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 42 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 29.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 25.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 60.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 19 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 97.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 49.3 | 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
Taylor County ranks in the 13th 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 | 13th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 12th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 57th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 35th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 7th | 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 | 46th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 44th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 58.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 39 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 27 in 2016–20 vs 12 in 2021–25 (-56% — 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 Taylor County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Taylor County, Iowa are drought, heat wave, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Taylor County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Taylor County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1979, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Taylor County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Taylor County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Taylor County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Union County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Worth County, MO has the lowest (Very Low). Taylor County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Taylor County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Taylor 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. Taylor County's composite score of 39 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 39% of US counties.