Washington County Disaster Risk

Washington 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.

Washington County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (82th percentile), tornado (66th percentile), flooding (27th percentile), earthquake (9th percentile), hurricane (0th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire at the 82th 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.

Washington 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 Washington County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Nebraska.

Yes, Washington County's wildfire risk is at the 82th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Washington County is at the 27th 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.

Washington 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 (82th percentile), along with tornado risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.