Sherman County Disaster Risk

Sherman County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 11th 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.

Sherman County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: tornado (33th percentile), wildfire (28th percentile), earthquake (17th percentile), flooding (8th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is tornado at the 33th 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.

Sherman County's composite risk percentile is 11th, compared to the Kansas state average of 30th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Sherman County faces lower natural disaster risk than the typical county in Kansas.

Yes, Sherman County's tornado risk is at the 33th percentile nationally. This is below the national median, indicating relatively lower exposure. For flooding specifically, Sherman County is at the 8th 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.

Sherman County's composite risk score of 11th percentile is below the Kansas state average of 30th percentile, indicating relatively lower exposure to natural hazards. However, no county is completely risk-free. The primary hazard type is tornado at the 33th percentile. Residents should still maintain emergency preparedness plans and appropriate insurance coverage.