McPherson County Disaster Risk

McPherson County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 39th 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.

McPherson County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: tornado (77th percentile), wildfire (67th percentile), flooding (33th percentile), earthquake (24th percentile), hurricane (0th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is tornado at the 77th 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.

McPherson County's composite risk percentile is 39th, compared to the Kansas state average of 30th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means McPherson County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Kansas.

Yes, McPherson County's tornado risk is at the 77th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, McPherson County is at the 33th 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.

McPherson County's composite risk score of 39th percentile is above the Kansas state average of 30th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by tornado exposure (77th 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.