Marion County Disaster Risk

Marion County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 38th 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.

Marion County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (78th percentile), tornado (69th percentile), flooding (36th percentile), earthquake (27th percentile), hurricane (0th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire at the 78th 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.

Marion County's composite risk percentile is 38th, compared to the Kansas state average of 30th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Marion County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Kansas.

Yes, Marion County's wildfire risk is at the 78th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Marion County is at the 36th 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.

Marion County's composite risk score of 38th percentile is above the Kansas state average of 30th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by wildfire exposure (78th 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.