Ford County Disaster Risk

Ford County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low, placing it in the 52th 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.

Ford County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: tornado (71th percentile), wildfire (68th percentile), flooding (38th percentile), earthquake (30th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is tornado at the 71th 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.

Ford County's composite risk percentile is 52th, compared to the Kansas state average of 30th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Ford County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Kansas.

Yes, Ford County's tornado risk is at the 71th percentile nationally. This is above the national median. For flooding specifically, Ford County is at the 38th 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.

Ford County's composite risk score of 52th percentile is above the Kansas state average of 30th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by tornado exposure (71th 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.