Kiowa County, Kansas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Kiowa County, Kansas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 85% of US counties. It ranks 71st of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are drought, cold waves and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $6.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $2,436 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2025 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 2 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 Kiowa County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 92.3 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 58.1 | $1M | ||
| Inland flooding | 4.8 | $687K | ||
| Tornado | 32.4 | $585K | ||
| Wildfire | 82.8 | $554K | ||
| Hail | 66.7 | $485K | ||
| Strong wind | 28.1 | $270K | ||
| Ice storm | 37.1 | $46K | ||
| Heat wave | 13.5 | $30K | ||
| Earthquake | 13.1 | $13K | ||
| Winter weather | 14.4 | $12K | ||
| Lightning | 3.5 | $12K | ||
| Landslide | 3.8 | $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 relatively 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 Kiowa County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 18
Kansas also had 10 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1954
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 628 storm reports in Kiowa County since 1954, with 11 deaths and 74 injuries and about $256 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF5 tornado on May 4, 2007 near Mullinville.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 4, 2007 | EF5 | Mullinville | 63 / 11 |
| Apr 3, 1956 | F4 | – | 6 / 0 |
| May 7, 2002 | F3 | Mullinville | 1 / 0 |
| Apr 14, 2012 | EF3 | Joy | 0 / 0 |
| May 18, 2025 | EF3 | Greensburg | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 4, 2007 | Tornado | Mullinville | $250M |
| Aug 2, 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Haviland | $3M |
| Jun 11, 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mullinville | $2M |
| May 7, 2002 | Tornado | Mullinville | $800K |
| Apr 3, 1956 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Mar 12, 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Haviland | $100K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Sep 8, 2025. 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 Kiowa 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 Kiowa 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; 1,153 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ford County | 14 | |
| Pratt County | 17 | |
| Barber County | 17 | |
| Edwards County | 27 | |
| Clark County | 15 | |
| Comanche County | 20 |
Common questions about Kiowa County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Kiowa County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Kiowa County, about $2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $1.3 million.
How many federal disasters has Kiowa County had?
Kiowa County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in July 2025.
Is Kiowa County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 71st 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 Kiowa County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Kiowa 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 Kiowa County had?
NOAA records list 64 tornadoes in Kiowa County since 1950. The strongest was an EF5 tornado on May 4, 2007 near Mullinville. The weather service has also logged 396 hail reports and 9 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.