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Dent County, Missouri

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

Relatively Low overall risk
58th of 115highest risk in Missouri
$16Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: Bold Frontiers, CC BY 2.0

Dent County, Missouri has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 52% of US counties. It ranks 58th of 115 counties in Missouri. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $16 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,133 per resident. Since 1976 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2025 (severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding). Only 9 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 Dent County

$8.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$3.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times 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.

Heat wave

Moderate
$1.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 11 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Cold waveHigh92.5
$8M
Inland floodingVery Low32.7
$4M
Heat waveModerate79.0
$1M
EarthquakeLow78.2
$1M
TornadoLow44.9
$995K
Strong windLow38.9
$378K
Ice stormModerate70.1
$209K
LightningLow35.2
$126K
WildfireVery Low60.0
$79K
Winter weatherLow49.0
$58K
HailVery Low14.1
$44K
DroughtVery Low29.1
$21K
HurricaneVery Low28.0
$11K
LandslideVery Low58.5
$2K

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 moderate 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 Dent County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm9
Severe Ice Storm3
Flood2
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Jan 1, 2025Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 2, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 2, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingEmergency
Feb 3, 2011Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jun 19, 2009Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 30, 2009Severe Winter StormEmergency
Nov 13, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding, and A TornadoMajor disaster
Mar 19, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Jan 15, 2007Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 16
Jul 21, 2006Severe StormsEmergency
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 6, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 6, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 1, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 24, 1976DroughtEmergency

Missouri also had 5 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 404 storm reports in Dent County since 1955, with 4 deaths and 4 injuries and about $20.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 21, 1957.

20tornadoes
131hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
123damaging thunderstorm winds
103floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 21, 1957F3–2 / 0
Jun 1, 1999F2Lecoma0 / 0
Dec 31, 2010EF1Lecoma0 / 2
Oct 24, 2021EF1Gladden0 / 0
Jun 26, 1994F1Salem To2 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Nov 5, 2024Flash FloodSligo$15M
Mar 18, 2008Flash FloodHobson$1M
May 8, 2009Thunderstorm WindCoulstone$1M
Apr 29, 2017Flash FloodSalem$1M
Apr 23, 2011FloodMontauk$500K
Dec 31, 2010TornadoLecoma$450K

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.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1923, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Dent County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, with top winds near 45 mph about 49 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
1tropical storms
1923most recent: unnamed storm

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 17, 1923UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph49 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 17, 1923UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph49 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Dent County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (9 policies)
6.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$26,602paid on 5 flood claims since 1978
1979costliest year, with $11,416 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 Dent County

$167,500median home value (Missouri $230,300, US $332,700)
1978median year homes were built (Missouri 1978, US 1980)
53%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
17.8%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; 6,822 housing units.

Compare in Missouri

All 115 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
St. Louis CountyHighHeat wave
Jackson CountyHighInland flooding
St. Charles CountyModerateInland flooding
St. Louis CityHighHeat wave
Greene CountyModerateInland flooding
Clay CountyModerateInland flooding
Jefferson CountyModerateInland flooding
Boone CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Phelps CountyLow23
Texas CountyLow25
Crawford CountyLow22
Iron CountyLow25
Shannon CountyLow25
Reynolds CountyLow25

Common questions about Dent County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Dent County?

Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Dent County, about $8.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Dent County had?

Dent County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1976, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in January 2025.

Is Dent County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 58th highest of 115 in Missouri. 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 Dent County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Dent 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 Dent County had?

NOAA records list 20 tornadoes in Dent County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 21, 1957. The weather service has also logged 131 hail reports and 103 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Dent County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Dent County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, with winds near 45 mph.

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.