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Geary County, Kansas

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

Very Low overall risk
27th of 105highest risk in Kansas
$18Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Geary County, Kansas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 59% of US counties. It ranks 27th of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $18 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $483 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 38 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $226,000 on 31 claims here.

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

Top risks in Geary County

$7 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
$5.9 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.
$1.1 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 floodingLow40.8
$7M
TornadoModerate81.3
$6M
Heat waveLow67.2
$1M
Strong windModerate60.1
$1M
Ice stormHigh84.7
$826K
WildfireLow82.0
$697K
Winter weatherHigh86.9
$447K
LightningLow47.7
$300K
HailLow40.6
$256K
Cold waveVery Low9.3
$94K
EarthquakeVery Low21.2
$44K
DroughtVery Low25.8
$20K
LandslideLow65.6
$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 relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm11
Flood1
Hurricane1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Sep 1, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 28, 2024Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 17, 2022Severe Storms and Straight Line WindsMajor 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
Mar 9, 2010Severe Winter Storms and SnowstormMajor disaster
Feb 1, 2008Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Show all 14
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Aug 3, 2004Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jul 22, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 28, 1973Severe Storms, Tornadoes & 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 491 storm reports in Geary County since 1951, with 0 deaths and 16 injuries and about $6.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on March 13, 1990.

20tornadoes
211hail reports, largest 3 inches
217damaging thunderstorm winds
33floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 13, 1990F2–0 / 0
May 21, 1951F2–0 / 0
Apr 5, 1954F2–0 / 0
May 6, 1986F1–0 / 0
Jul 13, 1997F1Junction City3 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 13, 1990Tornado–$3M
Jun 15, 2004Flash FloodJunction City$1M
May 12, 1995HailJunction City$405K
Jun 4, 2005Flash FloodJunction City$400K
May 6, 1986Tornado–$250K
Jul 13, 1997TornadoJunction City$200K

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 Geary County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (38 policies)
5.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$225,920paid on 31 flood claims since 1978
1993costliest year, with $175,156 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 Geary County

$172,700median home value (Kansas $217,200, US $332,700)
1987median year homes were built (Kansas 1976, US 1980)
42%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
5.8%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; 15,939 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
Riley CountyLow16
Dickinson CountyLow15
Clay CountyVery Low15
Wabaunsee CountyVery Low25
Morris CountyVery Low26

Common questions about Geary County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Geary County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Geary County, about $7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $5.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Geary County had?

Geary County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.

Is Geary County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 27th 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 Geary County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Geary 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 Geary County had?

NOAA records list 20 tornadoes in Geary County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on March 13, 1990. The weather service has also logged 211 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.