Union County, IA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Union County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Storms And Tornadoes in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Union County's highest-rated hazards are drought, cold wave, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 175% 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. Union County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1969, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (7), flood (6), tornado (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tornado | Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 49.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 30.1 | 2 | 0 | $20K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 24.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 57.1 | 11 | 0 | $1.1M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 11 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 74.2 | 30 | 0 | $25K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 54.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 43.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 36.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 84.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 19.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 95.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 62.8 | 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
Union County ranks in the 38th 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 | 38th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 32nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 60th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 13th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 49th | 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 | 50th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 48th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 42.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 45 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 12 in 2016–20 vs 33 in 2021–25 (+175% — 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 Union County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Union County, Iowa are drought, cold wave, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Union County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Union County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Union County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Union County include Severe Storms And Tornadoes (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Union County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Adair County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Ringgold County, IA has the lowest (Very Low). Union County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Union County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Union 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. Union County's composite score of 50 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 50% of US counties.