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Bourbon County, Kansas

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

Very Low overall risk
35th of 105highest risk in Kansas
$10Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Bourbon County, Kansas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 64% of US counties. It ranks 35th of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hail and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $10 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $713 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2025 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 11 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.4 million on 64 claims here, including $1.1 million for floods in 1998.

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

Top risks in Bourbon County

$4.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • 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

Moderate
$1.4 million 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.
$906,000 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow40.1
$4M
HailModerate88.7
$1M
TornadoLow43.7
$906K
Cold waveLow46.6
$750K
DroughtModerate76.6
$684K
Strong windModerate59.6
$657K
Heat waveLow63.7
$623K
Ice stormModerate74.5
$255K
LightningLow47.4
$192K
EarthquakeVery Low42.8
$163K
Winter weatherModerate72.4
$130K
WildfireVery Low44.8
$31K
HurricaneVery Low23.7
$8K
LandslideVery Low44.2
$805

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 moderate and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm11
Flood2
Tornado1
Severe Ice Storm1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Jul 22, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 15, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 20, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And MudslidesMajor disaster
Oct 22, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 9, 2010Severe Winter Storms and SnowstormMajor disaster
Sep 30, 2009Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 25, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding and TornadoesMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Jul 2, 2007Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 16
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Feb 6, 2002Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Oct 14, 1998Severe Storms, Flooding and TornadoesMajor disaster
Oct 22, 1986Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
May 2, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 15, 1969Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

Kansas also had 10 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 448 storm reports in Bourbon County since 1955 and about $38.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on September 27, 1973.

18tornadoes
173hail reports, largest 4.25 inches
162damaging thunderstorm winds
81floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Sep 27, 1973F2–0 / 0
Sep 24, 1973F2–0 / 0
Mar 12, 1961F2–0 / 0
Apr 3, 1963F2–0 / 0
Apr 19, 2000F2Hiattville0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 7, 2013HailFt Scott$30M
Jul 8, 2009HailBronson$2M
Sep 13, 1998Flash FloodCountywide$2M
Apr 27, 2014TornadoHammond$500K
Apr 4, 2023Thunderstorm WindRedfield$350K
Jun 28, 1998Thunderstorm WindCountywide$300K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 26, 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 Bourbon County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (11 policies)
5.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2.4 millionpaid on 64 flood claims since 1978
1998costliest year, with $1.1 million 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 Bourbon County

$113,800median home value (Kansas $217,200, US $332,700)
1957median year homes were built (Kansas 1976, US 1980)
73%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
8.2%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; 6,756 housing units.

Compare in Kansas

All 105 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Johnson CountyHighInland flooding
Sedgwick CountyHighInland flooding
Shawnee CountyModerateInland flooding
Wyandotte CountyModerateInland flooding
Douglas CountyLowInland flooding
Leavenworth CountyLowInland flooding
Riley CountyLowInland flooding
Butler CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Crawford CountyLow22
Vernon County, MOLow24
Neosho CountyVery Low19
Allen CountyVery Low12
Linn CountyVery Low17
Anderson CountyVery Low16

Common questions about Bourbon County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Bourbon County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Bourbon County, about $4.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hail is second at $1.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Bourbon County had?

Bourbon County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in July 2025.

Is Bourbon County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 35th highest of 105 in Kansas. 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 Bourbon County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Bourbon 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 Bourbon County had?

NOAA records list 18 tornadoes in Bourbon County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on September 27, 1973. The weather service has also logged 173 hail reports and 81 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.