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Douglas County, Kansas

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

Relatively Low overall risk
6th of 105highest risk in Kansas
$46Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 143homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Douglas County, Kansas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 75% of US counties. It ranks 6th of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $46 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $390 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2019 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding,landslides,and mudslides). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (260 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.9 million on 150 claims here, including $576,000 for floods in 2017.

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

Top risks in Douglas County

$20.1 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.
$12 million 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 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
Inland floodingLow72.8
$20M
TornadoHigh92.4
$12M
Cold waveModerate70.5
$3M
HailModerate92.3
$3M
Strong windHigh87.5
$2M
Ice stormHigh91.9
$2M
LightningHigh86.4
$1M
Winter weatherVery High96.7
$1M
Heat waveLow70.3
$1M
EarthquakeVery Low44.5
$275K
DroughtLow50.7
$209K
WildfireVery Low55.8
$90K
LandslideLow67.4
$6K

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 very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm13
Tornado2
Flood2
Severe Ice Storm1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Jun 20, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And MudslidesMajor disaster
May 28, 2019Tornadoes and FloodingEmergency
Mar 9, 2010Severe Winter Storms and SnowstormMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
May 6, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 13, 2006Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Feb 8, 2005Severe Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 30, 2004Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
May 6, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 19
Feb 6, 2002Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Nov 5, 1998Ks-Flooding 10/31/98Major disaster
Oct 14, 1998Severe Storms, Flooding and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jul 22, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 18, 1981Severe Storms, Flooding & TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 28, 1973Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
May 2, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 15, 1969Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 18, 1967Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1951

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 902 storm reports in Douglas County since 1951, with 1 death and 81 injuries and about $63.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 22, 1952.

41tornadoes
375hail reports, largest 3 inches
385damaging thunderstorm winds
71floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 22, 1952F4–2 / 0
Jun 19, 1981F3–33 / 1
Apr 12, 1964F3–3 / 0
May 4, 1977F3–1 / 0
Aug 6, 1962F3–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 19, 1981Tornado–$25M
Mar 12, 2006Thunderstorm WindLawrence$8M
May 8, 2003TornadoLawrence$6M
Apr 23, 2006HailLawrence$4M
Nov 1, 1998Flash FloodLawrence$3M
Apr 12, 1964Tornado–$3M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 13, 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 Douglas County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (260 policies)
36.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1.9 millionpaid on 150 flood claims since 1978
2017costliest year, with $576,121 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 Douglas County

$309,400median home value (Kansas $217,200, US $332,700)
1988median year homes were built (Kansas 1976, US 1980)
40%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
1.7%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; 53,675 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
Johnson CountyHigh10
Shawnee CountyModerate15
Leavenworth CountyLow21
Miami CountyLow14
Franklin CountyLow20
Jefferson CountyVery Low17
Osage CountyVery Low24

Cities in Douglas County

Common questions about Douglas County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Douglas County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Douglas County, about $20.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $12 million.

How many federal disasters has Douglas County had?

Douglas County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides in June 2019.

Is Douglas County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 6th 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 Douglas County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 143 homes in Douglas 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 Douglas County had?

NOAA records list 41 tornadoes in Douglas County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 22, 1952. The weather service has also logged 375 hail reports and 71 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.