Polk County Disaster Risk

Polk County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 26th 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.

Polk County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (38th percentile), tornado (37th percentile), flooding (16th percentile), earthquake (8th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire at the 38th 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.

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

Yes, Polk County's wildfire risk is at the 38th percentile nationally. This is below the national median, indicating relatively lower exposure. For flooding specifically, Polk County is at the 16th 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.

Polk County's composite risk score of 26th percentile is above the Nebraska state average of 26th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by wildfire exposure (38th percentile). Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.