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Greene County, Iowa

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

Very Low overall risk
59th of 99highest risk in Iowa
$12Mexpected losses a year
17federal declarations
Photo: Aleatoric Consonance, CC BY 2.0

Greene County, Iowa has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 68% of US counties. It ranks 59th of 99 counties in Iowa. The costliest hazards here are drought, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $12 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,390 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (15 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2022 (severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes). Only 2 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 Greene County

$4.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 15 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.

Tornado

Moderate
$2.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.

Cold wave

Moderate
$2.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 8 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
DroughtHigh96.9
$4M
TornadoModerate65.5
$3M
Cold waveModerate65.7
$2M
Inland floodingVery Low12.0
$2M
HailLow63.1
$502K
Strong windLow39.2
$481K
Winter weatherLow45.5
$65K
Ice stormLow39.3
$61K
Heat waveVery Low15.7
$46K
LightningVery Low9.1
$35K
EarthquakeVery Low11.1
$13K
WildfireVery Low10.3
$4K
HurricaneVery Low12.8
$4K
LandslideVery Low33.5
$481

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 high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Flood7
Severe Storm7
Severe Ice Storm1
Hurricane1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Feb 23, 2022Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Aug 17, 2020Severe StormsMajor disaster
Mar 23, 2019Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 2, 2013Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 2, 2010Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
May 27, 2008Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 30, 2007SnowEmergency
Mar 14, 2007Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 25, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 17
Jul 2, 1998Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 26, 1991Ice StormMajor disaster
Jul 12, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
May 26, 1990Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 24, 1974Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 25, 1969FloodingMajor disaster

Iowa also had 11 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 334 storm reports in Greene County since 1954, with 4 deaths and 2 injuries and about $28.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on December 15, 2021 near Scranton.

30tornadoes
123hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
117damaging thunderstorm winds
27floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 15, 2021EF2Scranton0 / 0
Dec 15, 2021EF2Cooper0 / 0
Dec 15, 2021EF2Scranton0 / 0
Dec 15, 2021EF2Cooper0 / 0
Apr 5, 1954F2–1 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 12, 2010FloodAdaza$20M
Dec 15, 2021TornadoScranton$1M
Dec 15, 2021TornadoCooper$800K
Dec 15, 2021TornadoScranton$500K
Dec 15, 2021TornadoCooper$350K
Apr 5, 1954Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Aug 9, 2025. 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 Greene County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (2 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$6,005paid on 4 flood claims since 1978
2010costliest year, with $5,505 paid

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 Greene County

$155,400median home value (Iowa $208,000, US $332,700)
1954median year homes were built (Iowa 1972, US 1980)
76%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; 4,319 housing units.

Compare in Iowa

All 99 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Polk CountyModerateInland flooding
Linn CountyModerateInland flooding
Scott CountyModerateInland flooding
Johnson CountyModerateTornado
Black Hawk CountyLowInland flooding
Woodbury CountyModerateInland flooding
Dallas CountyLowInland flooding
Dubuque CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Dallas CountyLow18
Webster CountyLow18
Boone CountyVery Low15
Carroll CountyLow14
Guthrie CountyVery Low15
Calhoun CountyLow16

Common questions about Greene County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Greene County?

Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Greene County, about $4.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Greene County had?

Greene County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 15 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes in February 2022.

Is Greene County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 59th highest of 99 in Iowa. 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 Greene County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Greene County had?

NOAA records list 30 tornadoes in Greene County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on December 15, 2021 near Scranton. The weather service has also logged 123 hail reports and 27 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.