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Riley County, Kansas

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

Relatively Low overall risk
16th of 105highest risk in Kansas
$29Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 67homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Riley County, Kansas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 58% of US counties. It ranks 16th of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $29 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $408 per resident. Since 1966 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). About 1 in 67 homes here carry federal flood insurance (314 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $9.2 million on 406 claims here, including $4.4 million for floods in 2018.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Riley County

$13.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once 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

Moderate
$7.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.

Heat wave

Moderate
$2.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 13 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow59.9
$13M
TornadoModerate84.3
$7M
Heat waveModerate80.0
$2M
WildfireModerate89.5
$2M
Ice stormHigh91.7
$2M
Strong windModerate57.6
$992K
Winter weatherHigh94.0
$862K
LightningModerate64.9
$594K
HailLow55.8
$478K
Cold waveVery Low13.2
$184K
EarthquakeVery Low33.3
$144K
LandslideLow81.5
$28K
DroughtVery Low24.8
$17K

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 Riley County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm13
Tornado1
Flood1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Sep 1, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 17, 2022Severe Storms and Straight Line WindsMajor disaster
Jun 20, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And MudslidesMajor disaster
May 28, 2019Tornadoes and FloodingEmergency
Oct 19, 2018Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 29, 2011Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 10, 2010Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Mar 9, 2010Severe Winter Storms and SnowstormMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding and TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 1, 2008Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Show all 16
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
May 6, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jul 22, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 28, 1973Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 10, 1966Tornadoes & Severe StormsMajor disaster

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 698 storm reports in Riley County since 1950, with 1 death and 57 injuries and about $111 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF4 tornado on June 11, 2008 near Ogden.

30tornadoes
323hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
271damaging thunderstorm winds
48floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 11, 2008EF4Ogden0 / 0
Jun 8, 1966F3–50 / 0
Jun 11, 2022EF2Manhattan0 / 0
Jun 4, 2026EF2Riley0 / 0
Nov 27, 2005F1Ogden0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 11, 2008TornadoOgden$66M
Sep 3, 2018Flash FloodKeats$17M
Jun 11, 2022TornadoManhattan$10M
Apr 19, 2002Thunderstorm WindManhattan$5M
Jun 2, 2008HailKeats$5M
Jun 8, 1966Tornado–$3M

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 Riley County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (314 policies)
32.4%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$9.2 millionpaid on 406 flood claims since 1978
2018costliest year, with $4.4 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 Riley County

$237,100median home value (Kansas $217,200, US $332,700)
1984median year homes were built (Kansas 1976, US 1980)
46%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
5%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; 30,755 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
Geary CountyVery Low14
Pottawatomie CountyVery Low18
Marshall CountyVery Low17
Clay CountyVery Low15
Wabaunsee CountyVery Low25
Washington CountyVery Low19

Cities in Riley County

Common questions about Riley County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Riley County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Riley County, about $13.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $7.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Riley County had?

Riley County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1966, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.

Is Riley County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 16th 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 Riley County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 67 homes in Riley 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 Riley County had?

NOAA records list 30 tornadoes in Riley County since 1950. The strongest was an EF4 tornado on June 11, 2008 near Ogden. The weather service has also logged 323 hail reports and 48 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.