Van Buren County, IA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Van Buren County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Van Buren County's highest-rated hazards are drought, lightning, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 36% 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. Van Buren County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (6), flood (6), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Tornadoes |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, 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 Winter Storms |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 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 | 52.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 40.8 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 31.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 74.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 54.7 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 13.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 55.1 | 54 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 55.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 21.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 17.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 19.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 81.3 | 1 | 0 | $10.0M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 82.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 73 | 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
Van Buren County ranks in the 36th 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 | 36th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 57th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 43rd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 2nd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 24th | 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 | 56th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 53rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 63.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 66 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 28 in 2016–20 vs 38 in 2021–25 (+36% — 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 Van Buren County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Van Buren County, Iowa are drought, lightning, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Van Buren County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Van Buren County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Van Buren County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Van Buren County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes in 2022.
How does Van Buren County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lee County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Clark County, MO has the lowest (Very Low). Van Buren County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Van Buren County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Van Buren 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. Van Buren County's composite score of 34 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 34% of US counties.