Dickinson County, Kansas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 48.6 | $6M | ||
| Tornado | 76.0 | $3M | ||
| Heat wave | 83.2 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 77.6 | $1M | ||
| Hail | 78.0 | $796K | ||
| Ice storm | 86.9 | $709K | ||
| Wildfire | 83.9 | $640K | ||
| Cold wave | 25.8 | $345K | ||
| Winter weather | 83.1 | $245K | ||
| Lightning | 44.5 | $195K | ||
| Drought | 50.8 | $156K | ||
| Earthquake | 26.3 | $51K | ||
| Landslide | 45.4 | $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
Most recent
Show all 15
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25, 2016 | EF4 | Solomon | 5 / 0 |
| Jun 11, 2008 | EF3 | Enterprise | 3 / 1 |
| Sep 25, 1973 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 30, 1972 | F3 | – | 6 / 0 |
| Jun 21, 1964 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25, 1973 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Jun 11, 2008 | Tornado | Enterprise | $20M |
| Jul 1, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Herington | $5M |
| May 16, 1995 | Hail | Chapman | $770K |
| Jul 1, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Abilene | $505K |
| May 6, 2007 | Flood | Solomon | $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 ›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
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 counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | Inland flooding | |
| Sedgwick County | Inland flooding | |
| Shawnee County | Inland flooding | |
| Wyandotte County | Inland flooding | |
| Douglas County | Inland flooding | |
| Leavenworth County | Inland flooding | |
| Riley County | Inland flooding | |
| Butler County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Saline County | 17 | |
| Geary County | 14 | |
| McPherson County | 17 | |
| Marion County | 20 | |
| Clay County | 15 | |
| Ottawa County | 16 | |
| Morris County | 26 |
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.