Home › Missouri › Monroe County

Monroe County, Missouri

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

Very Low overall risk
101st of 115highest risk in Missouri
$7Mexpected losses a year
17federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Monroe County, Missouri has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 79% of US counties. It ranks 101st of 115 counties in Missouri. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, heat waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $7.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $805 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2026 (severe storms, tornadoes and flooding). Only 3 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $199,000 on 12 claims here.

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

Top risks in Monroe County

$2.6 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.

Heat wave

Moderate
$1.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 10 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
$895,183 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low24.1
$3M
Heat waveModerate82.9
$2M
TornadoLow43.2
$895K
Cold waveLow35.7
$500K
LightningModerate64.9
$376K
DroughtLow60.1
$257K
Strong windLow27.2
$240K
EarthquakeVery Low46.0
$206K
HailLow36.8
$146K
Winter weatherLow35.1
$34K
Ice stormVery Low26.1
$23K
WildfireVery Low31.9
$15K
HurricaneVery Low19.2
$5K
LandslideVery Low54.6
$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 relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm11
Severe Ice Storm3
Drought1
Flood1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Jun 30, 2026Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 7, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 23, 2011Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Feb 3, 2011Severe Winter StormEmergency
Aug 17, 2010Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 30, 2009Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jun 25, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Mar 16, 2006Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 17
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 11, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 6, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 6, 2002Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 24, 1976DroughtEmergency
Apr 19, 1973Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

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 218 storm reports in Monroe County since 1955, with 3 deaths and 2 injuries and about $296,880 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on March 12, 2006 near Madison.

26tornadoes
65hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
98damaging thunderstorm winds
28floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 12, 2006F4Madison0 / 0
Oct 17, 2007EF2Granville0 / 2
Oct 2, 2007EF2Woodlawn1 / 0
Mar 12, 2006F2Middle Grove0 / 0
Jul 2, 1956F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Oct 2, 2007TornadoWoodlawn$60K
Oct 17, 2007TornadoGranville$50K
Oct 2, 2007Thunderstorm WindNorth Fork$50K
Jul 2, 1956Tornado–$25K
Jul 9, 2021Thunderstorm WindMonroe City$25K
May 7, 2024Thunderstorm WindMadison$20K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 27, 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 Monroe County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (3 policies)
1.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$198,881paid on 12 flood claims since 1978
2008costliest year, with $145,203 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 Monroe County

$149,300median home value (Missouri $230,300, US $332,700)
1976median year homes were built (Missouri 1978, US 1980)
55%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
17.7%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; 4,467 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
Marion CountyLow23
Audrain CountyLow17
Randolph CountyVery Low16
Macon CountyVery Low21
Ralls CountyVery Low24
Shelby CountyVery Low25

Common questions about Monroe County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Monroe County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Monroe County, about $2.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Heat wave is second at $1.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Monroe County had?

Monroe County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding in June 2026.

Is Monroe County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 101st 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 Monroe County?

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

NOAA records list 26 tornadoes in Monroe County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on March 12, 2006 near Madison. The weather service has also logged 65 hail reports and 28 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.