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Johnson County, Kansas

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

Relatively High overall risk
2nd of 105highest risk in Kansas
$257Mexpected losses a year
10federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

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

$110 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 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.

Tornado

Very High
$55.4 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.
$30.6 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 floodingHigh94.9
$110M
TornadoVery High98.9
$55M
Cold waveHigh98.0
$31M
Heat waveHigh98.4
$27M
HailHigh98.9
$15M
Winter weatherVery High100.0
$6M
Ice stormVery High98.7
$5M
LightningVery High98.4
$5M
EarthquakeLow75.7
$2M
Strong windLow47.1
$758K
WildfireVery Low61.2
$138K
DroughtVery Low24.9
$18K
LandslideLow69.0
$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

Severe Storm5
Flood2
Tornado1
Severe Ice Storm1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Oct 26, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 7, 2017Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
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
Sep 20, 1977Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 15, 1969Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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.

45tornadoes
657hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
580damaging thunderstorm winds
99floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 22, 1952F4–1 / 0
Apr 19, 1966F3–4 / 0
May 4, 1977F3–0 / 0
Jul 9, 1969F2–2 / 0
Apr 30, 1972F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Oct 4, 1998Flash FloodOverland Park$8M
Apr 19, 1966Tornado–$3M
May 4, 1977Tornado–$3M
Sep 21, 1993HailEdgerton$1M
Sep 22, 1993HailSpring Hill$550K
Mar 30, 1993TornadoDesoto 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 ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (544 policies)
25.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$13.2 millionpaid on 1,155 flood claims since 1978
1998costliest year, with $3.3 million 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 Johnson County

$391,200median home value (Kansas $217,200, US $332,700)
1989median year homes were built (Kansas 1976, US 1980)
36%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
0.7%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; 259,655 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
Jackson County, MOHigh24
Wyandotte CountyModerate24
Douglas CountyLow19
Cass County, MOLow19
Leavenworth CountyLow21
Miami CountyLow14
Franklin CountyLow20

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.