Stevens County, Kansas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Stevens County, Kansas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 60% of US counties. It ranks 30th of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are drought, tornadoes and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $8.1 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,543 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in December 2025 (severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding). No 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 Stevens County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- 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.
- 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 | 99.2 | $6M | ||
| Tornado | 41.0 | $582K | ||
| Inland flooding | 5.1 | $472K | ||
| Cold wave | 40.7 | $436K | ||
| Hail | 70.1 | $357K | ||
| Strong wind | 32.4 | $207K | ||
| Wildfire | 74.6 | $163K | ||
| Lightning | 42.3 | $114K | ||
| Winter weather | 60.4 | $59K | ||
| Ice storm | 44.3 | $42K | ||
| Earthquake | 28.7 | $42K | ||
| Heat wave | 4.1 | $3K | ||
| Landslide | 2.4 | $2 |
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 very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Stevens 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 1951
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 471 storm reports in Stevens County since 1951, with 1 death and 5 injuries and about $10.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 5, 1993 near Hugoton.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 5, 1993 | F4 | Hugoton | 0 / 0 |
| May 5, 1993 | F3 | Hugoton | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 23, 1951 | F2 | – | 5 / 1 |
| May 18, 1977 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 22, 1995 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 5, 1993 | Tornado | Hugoton | $5M |
| May 18, 1977 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jun 4, 1999 | Tornado | Hugoton | $750K |
| May 5, 1993 | Tornado | Hugoton | $550K |
| Sep 18, 1993 | Hail | Moscow | $505K |
| May 22, 1995 | Tornado | – | $300K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Aug 27, 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 Stevens 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 Stevens 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; 2,265 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Seward County | 10 | |
| Texas County, OK | 19 | |
| Grant County | 7 | |
| Haskell County | 12 | |
| Morton County | 6 | |
| Stanton County | 10 |
Common questions about Stevens County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Stevens County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Stevens County, about $5.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $581,771.
How many federal disasters has Stevens County had?
Stevens County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in December 2025.
Is Stevens County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 30th 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 Stevens County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Stevens County had?
NOAA records list 26 tornadoes in Stevens County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 5, 1993 near Hugoton. The weather service has also logged 301 hail reports and 12 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.