Ellsworth County, Kansas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Ellsworth County, Kansas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 85% of US counties. It ranks 70th of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $7.1 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,114 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2024 (severe storm, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 17 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 Ellsworth 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 16.1 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 51.3 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 35.8 | $642K | ||
| Hail | 69.1 | $626K | ||
| Ice storm | 82.2 | $577K | ||
| Strong wind | 41.8 | $506K | ||
| Wildfire | 77.4 | $371K | ||
| Drought | 54.1 | $230K | ||
| Heat wave | 34.9 | $207K | ||
| Winter weather | 60.4 | $107K | ||
| Lightning | 8.7 | $33K | ||
| Earthquake | 14.3 | $18K | ||
| Landslide | 10.4 | $34 |
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 relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Ellsworth County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 17
Kansas also had 10 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1954
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 699 storm reports in Ellsworth County since 1954, with 0 deaths and 1 injury and about $14.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF4 tornado on April 14, 2012 near Kanapolis Res.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 14, 2012 | EF4 | Kanapolis Res | 0 / 0 |
| May 24, 1990 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 24, 1990 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 2, 1956 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 2, 1970 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 2007 | Flash Flood | Ellsworth | $5M |
| Mar 2, 1970 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 24, 1990 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jun 11, 2008 | Hail | Ellsworth | $649K |
| Jun 11, 2002 | Hail | Wilson | $500K |
| Jun 11, 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wilson | $500K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 19, 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 Ellsworth 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 Ellsworth 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; 3,127 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 | |
| McPherson County | 17 | |
| Barton County | 26 | |
| Rice County | 24 | |
| Russell County | 21 | |
| Lincoln County | 14 |
Common questions about Ellsworth County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Ellsworth County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Ellsworth County, about $2.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Ellsworth County had?
Ellsworth County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2024.
Is Ellsworth County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 70th 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 Ellsworth County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Ellsworth 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 Ellsworth County had?
NOAA records list 50 tornadoes in Ellsworth County since 1950. The strongest was an EF4 tornado on April 14, 2012 near Kanapolis Res. The weather service has also logged 386 hail reports and 33 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.