Merrick County Disaster Risk

Merrick County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low, placing it in the 43th 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.

Merrick County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: tornado (51th percentile), wildfire (50th percentile), flooding (37th percentile), earthquake (15th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is tornado at the 51th 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.

Merrick County's composite risk percentile is 43th, compared to the Nebraska state average of 26th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Merrick County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Nebraska.

Yes, Merrick County's tornado risk is at the 51th percentile nationally. This is above the national median. For flooding specifically, Merrick County is at the 37th 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.

Merrick County's composite risk score of 43th percentile is above the Nebraska state average of 26th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by tornado exposure (51th 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.