Gooding County, Idaho
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Gooding County, Idaho has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 75% of US counties. It ranks 30th of 44 counties in Idaho. The costliest hazards here are wildfires, inland flooding and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $8.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $539 per resident. Since 1964 it has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (4 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2017 (flooding, landslides and mudslides). Only 30 homes here carry federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Gooding County
- Clear dry plants and debris within 5 feet of the house.
- Get home insurance quotes early; availability varies by area.
- 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.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | 95.3 | $4M | ||
| Inland flooding | 25.9 | $3M | ||
| Heat wave | 56.2 | $487K | ||
| Earthquake | 58.5 | $412K | ||
| Cold wave | 22.6 | $262K | ||
| Winter weather | 71.5 | $136K | ||
| Strong wind | 13.8 | $110K | ||
| Hail | 26.3 | $97K | ||
| Lightning | 21.5 | $73K | ||
| Tornado | 9.6 | $57K | ||
| Ice storm | 25.1 | $23K | ||
| Drought | 20.9 | $5K | ||
| Landslide | 26.0 | $210 | ||
| Avalanche | 12.3 | $12 | ||
| Volcanic activity | 34.9 | $4 |
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 very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Gooding County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Idaho also had 16 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1956
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 46 storm reports in Gooding County since 1956, with 0 deaths and 23 injuries and about $1.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on May 2, 1985.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 1985 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 20, 1988 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 10, 1990 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 3, 1956 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 20, 1988 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 8, 2017 | Flood | Hagerman | $2M |
| Apr 1, 2017 | Flood | Gooding | $250K |
| May 7, 2017 | Flood | Gooding | $100K |
| May 2, 1985 | Tornado | – | $25K |
| Apr 20, 1988 | Tornado | – | $25K |
| Apr 20, 1988 | Tornado | – | $3K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 13, 2024. 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 Gooding County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Gooding County
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; 6,141 housing units.
Compare in Idaho
All 44 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Ada County | Inland flooding | |
| Canyon County | Inland flooding | |
| Kootenai County | Inland flooding | |
| Bonneville County | Inland flooding | |
| Twin Falls County | Inland flooding | |
| Bannock County | Wildfire | |
| Madison County | Inland flooding | |
| Bingham County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Twin Falls County | 2 | |
| Elmore County | 9 | |
| Jerome County | 4 | |
| Lincoln County | 5 | |
| Camas County | 6 |
Common questions about Gooding County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Gooding County?
Wildfire has the highest expected yearly losses in Gooding County, about $3.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3 million.
How many federal disasters has Gooding County had?
Gooding County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1964, including 4 major disasters. The most recent was Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides in August 2017.
Is Gooding County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 30th highest of 44 in Idaho. 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 Gooding County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Gooding 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 Gooding County had?
NOAA records list 6 tornadoes in Gooding County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on May 2, 1985. The weather service has also logged 12 hail reports and 4 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.