Des Moines County Disaster Risk

Des Moines County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low, placing it in the 56th 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.

Des Moines County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: tornado (69th percentile), earthquake (57th percentile), flooding (56th percentile), wildfire (43th percentile), hurricane (15th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is tornado at the 69th 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.

Des Moines County's composite risk percentile is 56th, compared to the Iowa state average of 40th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Des Moines County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Iowa.

Yes, Des Moines County's tornado risk is at the 69th percentile nationally. This is above the national median. For flooding specifically, Des Moines County is at the 56th percentile.

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.

Des Moines County's composite risk score of 56th percentile is above the Iowa state average of 40th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by tornado exposure (69th percentile), along with earthquake and flooding risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.