Shawnee County Disaster Risk

Shawnee County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Moderate, placing it in the 88th 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.

Shawnee County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: tornado (96th percentile), flooding (90th percentile), wildfire (75th percentile), earthquake (60th percentile), hurricane (0th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is tornado at the 96th 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.

Shawnee County's composite risk percentile is 88th, compared to the Kansas state average of 30th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Shawnee County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Kansas.

Yes, Shawnee County's tornado risk is at the 96th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Shawnee County is at the 90th 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.

Shawnee County's composite risk score of 88th percentile is above the Kansas state average of 30th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by tornado exposure (96th percentile), along with flooding and wildfire and earthquake risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.