Worth County, Iowa
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Worth County, Iowa has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 90% of US counties. It ranks 99th of 99 counties in Iowa. The costliest hazards here are drought, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $7.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $945 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2024 (severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes). Only 4 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 Worth County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 89.3 | $2M | ||
| Inland flooding | 10.7 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 36.0 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 38.2 | $910K | ||
| Strong wind | 26.4 | $371K | ||
| Hail | 29.6 | $171K | ||
| Winter weather | 38.8 | $64K | ||
| Heat wave | 9.5 | $24K | ||
| Lightning | 3.1 | $15K | ||
| Ice storm | 14.2 | $13K | ||
| Earthquake | 4.8 | $7K | ||
| Wildfire | 3.2 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 17.3 | $122 |
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 very low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Worth County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 14
Iowa also had 11 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1952
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 295 storm reports in Worth County since 1952, with 0 deaths and 6 injuries and about $39.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 30, 1967.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 30, 1967 | F4 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Apr 30, 1967 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 30, 1967 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 12, 1971 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 28, 1974 | F3 | – | 3 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 12, 2010 | Flood | Silver Lake | $20M |
| Apr 30, 1967 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Apr 30, 1967 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jul 12, 1971 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 28, 1974 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Sep 20, 1980 | Tornado | – | $3M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Sep 22, 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 Worth 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 Worth 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; 3,474 housing units.
Compare in Iowa
All 99 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Polk County | Inland flooding | |
| Linn County | Inland flooding | |
| Scott County | Inland flooding | |
| Johnson County | Tornado | |
| Black Hawk County | Inland flooding | |
| Woodbury County | Inland flooding | |
| Dallas County | Inland flooding | |
| Dubuque County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Cerro Gordo County | 13 | |
| Mower County, MN | 14 | |
| Freeborn County, MN | 19 | |
| Hancock County | 13 | |
| Winnebago County | 14 | |
| Mitchell County | 18 |
Common questions about Worth County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Worth County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Worth County, about $2.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2.1 million.
How many federal disasters has Worth County had?
Worth County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes in June 2024.
Is Worth County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 99th 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 Worth County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Worth 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 Worth County had?
NOAA records list 24 tornadoes in Worth County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 30, 1967. The weather service has also logged 94 hail reports and 35 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.