Delaware County Disaster Risk

Delaware County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low, placing it in the 50th 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.

Delaware County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: flooding (62th percentile), tornado (58th percentile), earthquake (25th percentile), hurricane (19th percentile), wildfire (12th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is flooding at the 62th 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.

Delaware County's composite risk percentile is 50th, compared to the Iowa state average of 40th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Delaware County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Iowa.

Yes, Delaware County's flooding risk is at the 62th 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.

Delaware County's composite risk score of 50th percentile is above the Iowa state average of 40th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by flooding exposure (62th 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.