Wilson County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wilson County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Wilson County's highest-rated hazards are drought, wildfire, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 55 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Wilson County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1976, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (11), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1976.
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 | 59 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 25.7 | 19 | 0 | $800 |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 26.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 45.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 51.6 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 35.4 | 28 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 54.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 52.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 51.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 36.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 32.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 64.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 37.2 | 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
Wilson County ranks in the 46th 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 | 46th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 39th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 85th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 25th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 32nd | 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 | 78th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 80th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 56.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 55 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 27 in 2016–20 vs 28 in 2021–25 (+4% — relatively stable).
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 Wilson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wilson County, Kansas are drought, wildfire, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Wilson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wilson County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Wilson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wilson County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1976.
How does Wilson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Montgomery County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Woodson County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Wilson County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Wilson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wilson 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. Wilson County's composite score of 18 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 18% of US counties.