Scott County, Kansas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Scott County, Kansas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 54% of US counties. It ranks 23rd of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are hail, drought and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $10 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $2,029 per resident. Since 2005 it has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (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 Scott County
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 97.9 | $4M | ||
| Drought | 96.2 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 69.7 | $1M | ||
| Inland flooding | 12.1 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 72.6 | $744K | ||
| Tornado | 38.5 | $569K | ||
| Winter weather | 69.5 | $91K | ||
| Lightning | 21.8 | $53K | ||
| Earthquake | 21.8 | $24K | ||
| Ice storm | 27.5 | $20K | ||
| Heat wave | 7.0 | $7K | ||
| Wildfire | 22.0 | $6K | ||
| Landslide | 6.7 | $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 very high and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Scott 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 1950
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 687 storm reports in Scott County since 1950, with 2 deaths and 2 injuries and about $6.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 13, 1968.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 13, 1968 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 12, 1956 | F2 | – | 0 / 1 |
| Jul 2, 1950 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 5, 1964 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 2, 2017 | EF2 | Scott State Park | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2, 1950 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 16, 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Scott City | $2M |
| May 9, 1996 | Hail | Scott City | $900K |
| May 7, 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Scott City | $350K |
| Apr 15, 1976 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jul 7, 1987 | Tornado | – | $250K |
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 Scott 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 Scott 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; 2,334 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 | |
| Kearny County | 9 | |
| Logan County | 13 | |
| Gove County | 11 | |
| Wichita County | 6 | |
| Lane County | 10 |
Common questions about Scott County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Scott County?
Hail has the highest expected yearly losses in Scott County, about $4.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $2.2 million.
How many federal disasters has Scott County had?
Scott County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 2005, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.
Is Scott County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 23rd 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 Scott County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Scott 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 Scott County had?
NOAA records list 60 tornadoes in Scott County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 13, 1968. The weather service has also logged 426 hail reports and 7 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.