Benton County Disaster Risk

Benton County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low, placing it in the 67th 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.

Benton County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: tornado (75th percentile), wildfire (69th percentile), flooding (67th percentile), earthquake (59th percentile), hurricane (28th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is tornado at the 75th 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.

Benton County's composite risk percentile is 67th, compared to the Missouri state average of 51th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Relatively Low. This means Benton County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Missouri.

Yes, Benton County's tornado risk is at the 75th percentile nationally. This is above the national median. For flooding specifically, Benton County is at the 67th 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.

Benton County's composite risk score of 67th percentile is above the Missouri state average of 51th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by tornado exposure (75th percentile), along with wildfire and flooding and earthquake risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.