Wayne County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wayne County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Wayne County's highest-rated hazards are hail, drought, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 29% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (16th 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. Wayne County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1967, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (10), flood (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Winter Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 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 | Very Low | 58.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 16.5 | 7 | 0 | $3.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 7.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 60 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 43.5 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 75.6 | 16 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 30.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 32.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 54.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 25.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 10.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 72.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 37.4 | 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
Wayne County ranks in the 16th 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 | 16th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 26th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 6th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 32nd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 30th | 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 | 29th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 37th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 41.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 29 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 17 in 2016–20 vs 12 in 2021–25 (-29% — 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 Wayne County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wayne County, Nebraska are hail, drought, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Wayne County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wayne County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Wayne County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Wayne County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds in 2022.
How does Wayne County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Cuming County, NE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Dixon County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Wayne County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Wayne County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wayne 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. Wayne County's composite score of 14 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 14% of US counties.