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Sedgwick County, Colorado

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
55th of 64highest risk in Colorado
$4Mexpected losses a year
7federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: Aleatoric Consonance, CC BY 2.0

Sedgwick County, Colorado has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 94% of US counties. It ranks 55th of 64 counties in Colorado. The costliest hazards here are drought, inland flooding and hail. FEMA estimates about $3.7 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,542 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2015 (severe storms, tornadoes, flooding, landslides and mudslides). Only 1 home here carries federal flood insurance.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Sedgwick County

Drought

Moderate
$1.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 79 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
$625,603 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 years.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.

Hail

Low
$455,476 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 7 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
DroughtModerate87.8
$1M
Inland floodingVery Low3.9
$626K
HailLow64.3
$455K
Cold waveLow29.3
$409K
TornadoVery Low23.3
$327K
Strong windLow25.6
$252K
LightningLow24.0
$87K
WildfireVery Low34.1
$19K
EarthquakeVery Low14.3
$16K
Winter weatherVery Low15.2
$13K
Heat waveVery Low5.6
$7K
Ice stormVery Low10.5
$6K
LandslideVery Low1.5
$1

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively low and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Sedgwick County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood4
Tornado1
Severe Storm1
Coastal Storm1

Most recent

Jul 16, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Sep 14, 2013Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 17, 2001Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
May 23, 1973Heavy Rains, Snowmelt and FloodingMajor disaster
May 19, 1969Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 19, 1965Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

Colorado also had 15 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1950

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 303 storm reports in Sedgwick County since 1950, with 2 deaths and 10 injuries and about $878,310 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on June 27, 1960.

43tornadoes
182hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
68damaging thunderstorm winds
8floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 27, 1960F3–3 / 2
Aug 5, 1950F2–1 / 0
Aug 5, 1950F2–0 / 0
Jul 27, 1960F2–0 / 0
Apr 23, 2015EF1Marks Butte0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 27, 1960Tornado–$250K
Jun 12, 2007Flash FloodJulesburg$200K
Jun 11, 2007Flash FloodJulesburg$200K
Sep 17, 2013FloodSedgwick$100K
Aug 5, 1950Tornado–$25K
Aug 5, 1950Tornado–$25K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 3, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Flood insurance in Sedgwick County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (1 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 0 flood claims since 1978
n/acostliest year

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Sedgwick County

$149,000median home value (Colorado $539,400, US $332,700)
1954median year homes were built (Colorado 1988, US 1980)
79%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
3.4%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 1,214 housing units.

Compare in Colorado

All 64 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
El Paso CountyModerateInland flooding
Denver CountyHighInland flooding
Arapahoe CountyModerateHail
Jefferson CountyHighInland flooding
Adams CountyModerateHail
Larimer CountyModerateInland flooding
Douglas CountyModerateInland flooding
Boulder CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Logan CountyLow10
Cheyenne County, NEVery Low8
Phillips CountyVery Low4
Perkins County, NEVery Low8
Deuel County, NEVery Low7

Common questions about Sedgwick County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Sedgwick County?

Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Sedgwick County, about $1.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $625,603.

How many federal disasters has Sedgwick County had?

Sedgwick County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides in July 2015.

Is Sedgwick County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 55th highest of 64 in Colorado. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Sedgwick County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Sedgwick County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Sedgwick County had?

NOAA records list 43 tornadoes in Sedgwick County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on June 27, 1960. The weather service has also logged 182 hail reports and 8 floods here.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.