Wabaunsee County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wabaunsee County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Wabaunsee County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, landslide, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 41% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (6th 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. Wabaunsee County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1967, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (17), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, 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 |
| 2016 | Fire | Burr Oak Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 total declarations since 1967.
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 | 88.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 27.2 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 14.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 36.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 33.4 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 31.4 | 46 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 28.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 59.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 63.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 6.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 24.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 36.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 65 | 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
Wabaunsee County ranks in the 6th 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 | 6th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 5th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 38th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 27th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 9th | 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 | 88th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 92nd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 70.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 65 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 41 in 2016–20 vs 24 in 2021–25 (-41% — 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 Wabaunsee County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wabaunsee County, Kansas are wildfire, landslide, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Wabaunsee County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wabaunsee County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (17 declarations).
Has Wabaunsee County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wabaunsee County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2024), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024), Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Wabaunsee County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Shawnee County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Morris County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Wabaunsee County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Wabaunsee County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wabaunsee 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. Wabaunsee County's composite score of 15 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 15% of US counties.