Kearny County, Kansas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Kearny County, Kansas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 92% of US counties. It ranks 89th of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are drought, hail and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $5.7 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,421 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 9 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 Kearny County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 93.8 | $3M | ||
| Hail | 69.3 | $718K | ||
| Inland flooding | 3.2 | $692K | ||
| Cold wave | 25.7 | $450K | ||
| Tornado | 21.1 | $346K | ||
| Strong wind | 23.1 | $285K | ||
| Lightning | 17.6 | $80K | ||
| Winter weather | 38.0 | $56K | ||
| Wildfire | 32.2 | $22K | ||
| Earthquake | 13.9 | $19K | ||
| Ice storm | 16.4 | $15K | ||
| Heat wave | 3.0 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 3.1 | $5 |
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 very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Kearny 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 1951
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 707 storm reports in Kearny County since 1951, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries and about $5.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 20, 1951.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 1951 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 23, 1967 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 20, 1951 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 10, 1954 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 22, 2010 | EF1 | Lakin | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 21, 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lakin | $4M |
| Sep 18, 1993 | Hail | Lakin | $500K |
| Aug 1, 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Deerfield | $500K |
| May 20, 1951 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Apr 22, 2010 | Tornado | Lakin | $180K |
| Aug 6, 1997 | Flash Flood | Lakin | $150K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 28, 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 Kearny 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 Kearny 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; 1,578 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Finney County | 9 | |
| Grant County | 7 | |
| Scott County | 8 | |
| Haskell County | 12 | |
| Hamilton County | 9 | |
| Wichita County | 6 | |
| Stanton County | 10 |
Common questions about Kearny County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Kearny County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Kearny County, about $3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hail is second at $717,997.
How many federal disasters has Kearny County had?
Kearny County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2024.
Is Kearny County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 89th 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 Kearny County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Kearny 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 Kearny County had?
NOAA records list 45 tornadoes in Kearny County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 20, 1951. The weather service has also logged 440 hail reports and 13 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.