Washington County Disaster Risk

Washington County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low, placing it in the 44th 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.

Washington County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: tornado (57th percentile), wildfire (55th percentile), flooding (48th percentile), earthquake (36th percentile), hurricane (20th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is tornado at the 57th 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.

Washington County's composite risk percentile is 44th, compared to the Iowa state average of 40th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Washington County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Iowa.

Yes, Washington County's tornado risk is at the 57th percentile nationally. This is above the national median. For flooding specifically, Washington County is at the 48th 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.

Washington County's composite risk score of 44th percentile is above the Iowa state average of 40th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by tornado exposure (57th percentile), along with wildfire risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.