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Dickinson County, Kansas

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

Relatively Low overall risk
20th of 105highest risk in Kansas
$16Mexpected losses a year
15federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Dickinson County, Kansas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 51% of US counties. It ranks 20th of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $16 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $864 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (57 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $174,000 on 86 claims here.

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

Top risks in Dickinson County

$6.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$3.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 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.

Heat wave

Moderate
$1.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 13 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow48.6
$6M
TornadoModerate76.0
$3M
Heat waveModerate83.2
$2M
Strong windModerate77.6
$1M
HailModerate78.0
$796K
Ice stormHigh86.9
$709K
WildfireLow83.9
$640K
Cold waveLow25.8
$345K
Winter weatherModerate83.1
$245K
LightningLow44.5
$195K
DroughtLow50.8
$156K
EarthquakeVery Low26.3
$51K
LandslideVery Low45.4
$992

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 Dickinson County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm10
Flood2
Tornado1
Hurricane1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Sep 1, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 20, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And MudslidesMajor disaster
May 28, 2019Tornadoes and FloodingEmergency
Oct 22, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 26, 2013SnowstormMajor disaster
Jun 24, 2009Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record SnowMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding and TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 1, 2008Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
May 6, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 15
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jul 22, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 28, 1973Severe Storms, Tornadoes & 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 1950

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 878 storm reports in Dickinson County since 1950, with 2 deaths and 18 injuries and about $56.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF4 tornado on May 25, 2016 near Solomon.

48tornadoes
477hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
286damaging thunderstorm winds
54floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 25, 2016EF4Solomon5 / 0
Jun 11, 2008EF3Enterprise3 / 1
Sep 25, 1973F3–0 / 0
Apr 30, 1972F3–6 / 0
Jun 21, 1964F3–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 25, 1973Tornado–$25M
Jun 11, 2008TornadoEnterprise$20M
Jul 1, 1994Thunderstorm WindHerington$5M
May 16, 1995HailChapman$770K
Jul 1, 1994Thunderstorm WindAbilene$505K
May 6, 2007FloodSolomon$400K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 10, 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 Dickinson County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (57 policies)
76.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$174,150paid on 86 flood claims since 1978
1993costliest year, with $121,782 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 Dickinson County

$146,800median home value (Kansas $217,200, US $332,700)
1956median year homes were built (Kansas 1976, US 1980)
77%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
2.7%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; 8,789 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
Saline CountyLow17
Geary CountyVery Low14
McPherson CountyVery Low17
Marion CountyVery Low20
Clay CountyVery Low15
Ottawa CountyVery Low16
Morris CountyVery Low26

Common questions about Dickinson County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Dickinson County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Dickinson County, about $6.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $3.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Dickinson County had?

Dickinson County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.

Is Dickinson County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 20th 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 Dickinson County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Dickinson 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 Dickinson County had?

NOAA records list 48 tornadoes in Dickinson County since 1950. The strongest was an EF4 tornado on May 25, 2016 near Solomon. The weather service has also logged 477 hail reports and 54 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.