Home › Kansas › Gove County

Gove County, Kansas

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

Very Low overall risk
98th of 105highest risk in Kansas
$4Mexpected losses a year
11federal declarations
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0

Gove County, Kansas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 95% of US counties. It ranks 98th of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are hail, inland flooding and drought. FEMA estimates about $4.2 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,554 per resident. Since 2005 it has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). No 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 Gove County

Hail

Moderate
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 9 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
$1 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.

Drought

Moderate
$885,769 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 70 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HailModerate78.4
$1M
Inland floodingVery Low5.2
$1M
DroughtModerate73.6
$886K
TornadoVery Low24.3
$479K
Strong windLow24.0
$311K
Cold waveVery Low15.5
$222K
Winter weatherLow35.9
$53K
WildfireVery Low39.2
$35K
Heat waveVery Low11.0
$29K
LightningVery Low6.2
$28K
EarthquakeVery Low6.1
$8K
Ice stormVery Low9.0
$6K
LandslideVery Low4.5
$9

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 Gove County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm9
Hurricane1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Sep 1, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 22, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 21, 2025Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and WildfiresMajor disaster
Feb 17, 2022Severe Storms and Straight Line WindsMajor disaster
Jun 16, 2017Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 9, 2010Severe Winter Storms and SnowstormMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding and TornadoesMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Jan 7, 2007Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 26, 2006Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Show all 11
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency

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 771 storm reports in Gove County since 1950, with 0 deaths and 4 injuries and about $11.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF4 tornado on May 23, 2008 near Quinter.

62tornadoes
450hail reports, largest 5 inches
216damaging thunderstorm winds
40floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 23, 2008EF4Quinter2 / 0
May 18, 2025EF3Campus0 / 0
Aug 6, 1950F2–0 / 0
Aug 28, 1979F2–0 / 0
May 22, 2008EF1Gove0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 22, 1995HailGrainfield$3M
May 16, 1995HailGove$3M
May 23, 2008TornadoQuinter$3M
May 23, 2008TornadoQuinter$750K
Sep 17, 2001HailPark$480K
Oct 12, 2021Thunderstorm WindCampus$285K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 27, 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 Gove County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (0 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 0 flood claims since 1978
n/acostliest year

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 Gove County

$118,400median home value (Kansas $217,200, US $332,700)
1958median year homes were built (Kansas 1976, US 1980)
77%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.7%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; 1,331 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
Thomas CountyVery Low11
Scott CountyLow8
Trego CountyVery Low11
Logan CountyVery Low13
Ness CountyVery Low19
Sheridan CountyVery Low15
Graham CountyVery Low14
Lane CountyVery Low10

Common questions about Gove County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Gove County?

Hail has the highest expected yearly losses in Gove County, about $1.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1 million.

How many federal disasters has Gove County had?

Gove County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 2005, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.

Is Gove County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 98th 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 Gove County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Gove County had?

NOAA records list 62 tornadoes in Gove County since 1950. The strongest was an EF4 tornado on May 23, 2008 near Quinter. The weather service has also logged 450 hail reports and 40 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.