Kingman County, Kansas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Kingman County, Kansas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 64% of US counties. It ranks 36th of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,494 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (17 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2025 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 30 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 Kingman County
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 74.0 | $3M | ||
| Inland flooding | 20.1 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 65.4 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 81.0 | $921K | ||
| Wildfire | 86.7 | $830K | ||
| Ice storm | 87.5 | $731K | ||
| Drought | 74.1 | $654K | ||
| Strong wind | 47.1 | $498K | ||
| Heat wave | 48.5 | $344K | ||
| Lightning | 13.7 | $47K | ||
| Earthquake | 22.7 | $35K | ||
| Winter weather | 17.4 | $15K | ||
| Hurricane | 20.4 | $6K | ||
| Landslide | 5.5 | $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 relatively moderate 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 Kingman County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 19
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 783 storm reports in Kingman County since 1950, with 0 deaths and 5 injuries and about $5.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on May 19, 2012 near Spivey.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 19, 2012 | EF3 | Spivey | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 21, 1968 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 10, 2010 | EF2 | Rago | 0 / 0 |
| May 16, 1950 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 9, 2003 | F1 | Cunningham | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 1998 | Hail | Norwich | $2M |
| Apr 27, 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Kingman | $800K |
| Jul 1, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Norwich | $500K |
| Apr 9, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Kingman | $500K |
| Apr 21, 1968 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| May 19, 2010 | Lightning | Kingman | $150K |
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 Kingman 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 Kingman 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; 3,685 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sedgwick County | 15 | |
| Reno County | 22 | |
| Sumner County | 25 | |
| Pratt County | 17 | |
| Harper County | 20 | |
| Barber County | 17 |
Common questions about Kingman County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Kingman County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Kingman County, about $2.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2.4 million.
How many federal disasters has Kingman County had?
Kingman County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 17 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2025.
Is Kingman County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 36th 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 Kingman County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Kingman 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 Kingman County had?
NOAA records list 66 tornadoes in Kingman County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on May 19, 2012 near Spivey. The weather service has also logged 402 hail reports and 29 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.