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Saline County, Kansas

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

Relatively Low overall risk
13th of 105highest risk in Kansas
$32Mexpected losses a year
17federal declarations
1 in 125homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Saline County, Kansas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 66% of US counties. It ranks 13th of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $32 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $596 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (178 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $4.6 million on 240 claims here, including $4.0 million for floods in 2007.

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

Top risks in Saline County

$11 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.
$10.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 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 floodingLow58.8
$11M
TornadoHigh91.4
$10M
Cold waveModerate72.3
$3M
Heat waveLow77.9
$2M
Ice stormHigh93.0
$2M
HailModerate85.7
$2M
Strong windModerate67.2
$1M
Winter weatherHigh93.7
$728K
WildfireLow82.4
$671K
LightningModerate62.6
$469K
DroughtLow47.4
$156K
EarthquakeVery Low34.3
$134K
LandslideVery Low14.4
$73

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 high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Saline County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm13
Flood2
Tornado1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Sep 1, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 30, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 19, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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 22, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding and TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 1, 2008Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Show all 17
May 6, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Nov 5, 1998Ks-Flooding 10/31/98Major disaster
Jul 22, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 28, 1973Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
May 2, 1973Severe 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 1951

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 833 storm reports in Saline County since 1951, with 0 deaths and 75 injuries and about $73 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on June 21, 1969.

51tornadoes
393hail reports, largest 3.5 inches
298damaging thunderstorm winds
55floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 21, 1969F3–60 / 0
Sep 25, 1973F3–6 / 0
Jun 11, 2008EF3Phillips Vlg0 / 0
Oct 6, 2016EF3Gypsum0 / 0
Apr 13, 1960F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 21, 1969Tornado–$25M
Sep 25, 1973Tornado–$25M
May 24, 2007FloodSalina$7M
Jul 1, 1994Thunderstorm WindSalina$5M
May 6, 2007FloodSalina$5M
Jun 11, 2008TornadoPhillips Vlg$3M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 10, 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 Saline County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.8%of homes have federal flood insurance (178 policies)
13.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$4.6 millionpaid on 240 flood claims since 1978
2007costliest year, with $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 Saline County

$179,600median home value (Kansas $217,200, US $332,700)
1966median year homes were built (Kansas 1976, US 1980)
70%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
2.4%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; 24,157 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
McPherson CountyVery Low17
Dickinson CountyLow15
Marion CountyVery Low20
Ellsworth CountyVery Low17
Ottawa CountyVery Low16
Lincoln CountyVery Low14

Cities in Saline County

Common questions about Saline County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Saline County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Saline County, about $11 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $10.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Saline County had?

Saline County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.

Is Saline County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 13th 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 Saline County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Saline 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 Saline County had?

NOAA records list 51 tornadoes in Saline County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on June 21, 1969. The weather service has also logged 393 hail reports and 55 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.