Clayton County Disaster Risk

Clayton County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 42th percentile nationally out of 3,144 counties. This composite score reflects the county's overall exposure to natural hazards including floods, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes, weighted by expected annual loss and social vulnerability.

Clayton County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: flooding (58th percentile), tornado (54th percentile), hurricane (15th percentile), earthquake (14th percentile), wildfire (12th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is flooding at the 58th percentile nationally. These scores are derived from FEMA's National Risk Index, which analyzes expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience for each hazard type.

Clayton County's composite risk percentile is 42th, compared to the Iowa state average of 40th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Clayton County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Iowa.

Yes, Clayton County's flooding risk is at the 58th percentile nationally. This is above the national median.

FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) calculates risk scores for 18 natural hazard types across all U.S. counties and census tracts. The composite score combines Expected Annual Loss (estimated dollar losses from each hazard), Social Vulnerability (demographic factors affecting disaster impact), and Community Resilience (ability to recover). Percentile scores rank each county against all 3,144 U.S. counties, and risk ratings range from Very Low to Very High.

Clayton County's composite risk score of 42th percentile is above the Iowa state average of 40th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by flooding exposure (58th percentile), along with tornado risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.