Johnson County, Kansas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Johnson County, Kansas has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 95% of US counties. It ranks 2nd of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $257 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $421 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2023 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (544 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $13 million on 1,155 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Johnson 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 | 94.9 | $110M | ||
| Tornado | 98.9 | $55M | ||
| Cold wave | 98.0 | $31M | ||
| Heat wave | 98.4 | $27M | ||
| Hail | 98.9 | $15M | ||
| Winter weather | 100.0 | $6M | ||
| Ice storm | 98.7 | $5M | ||
| Lightning | 98.4 | $5M | ||
| Earthquake | 75.7 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 47.1 | $758K | ||
| Wildfire | 61.2 | $138K | ||
| Drought | 24.9 | $18K | ||
| Landslide | 69.0 | $8K |
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 high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Johnson County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Kansas also had 10 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1952
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 1,392 storm reports in Johnson County since 1952, with 4 deaths and 30 injuries and about $22.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 22, 1952.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 1952 | F4 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Apr 19, 1966 | F3 | – | 4 / 0 |
| May 4, 1977 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 9, 1969 | F2 | – | 2 / 0 |
| Apr 30, 1972 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 4, 1998 | Flash Flood | Overland Park | $8M |
| Apr 19, 1966 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 4, 1977 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Sep 21, 1993 | Hail | Edgerton | $1M |
| Sep 22, 1993 | Hail | Spring Hill | $550K |
| Mar 30, 1993 | Tornado | Desoto To 0.25 | $500K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 9, 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 Johnson 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 Johnson 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; 259,655 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Jackson County, MO | 24 | |
| Wyandotte County | 24 | |
| Douglas County | 19 | |
| Cass County, MO | 19 | |
| Leavenworth County | 21 | |
| Miami County | 14 | |
| Franklin County | 20 |
Cities in Johnson County
Common questions about Johnson County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Johnson County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Johnson County, about $110 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $55.4 million.
How many federal disasters has Johnson County had?
Johnson County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in October 2023.
Is Johnson County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively High, 2nd 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 Johnson County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Johnson 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 Johnson County had?
NOAA records list 45 tornadoes in Johnson County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 22, 1952. The weather service has also logged 657 hail reports and 99 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.