Monroe County Disaster Risk

Monroe County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 10th 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.

Monroe County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (40th percentile), tornado (40th percentile), earthquake (15th percentile), flooding (9th percentile), hurricane (7th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire at the 40th 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.

Monroe County's composite risk percentile is 10th, compared to the Iowa state average of 40th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Monroe County faces lower natural disaster risk than the typical county in Iowa.

Yes, Monroe County's wildfire risk is at the 40th percentile nationally. This is below the national median, indicating relatively lower exposure. For flooding specifically, Monroe County is at the 9th 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.

Monroe County's composite risk score of 10th percentile is below the Iowa state average of 40th percentile, indicating relatively lower exposure to natural hazards. However, no county is completely risk-free. The primary hazard type is wildfire at the 40th percentile. Residents should still maintain emergency preparedness plans and appropriate insurance coverage.