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Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri

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

Relatively Low overall risk
53rd of 115highest risk in Missouri
$23Mexpected losses a year
29federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 55% of US counties. It ranks 53rd of 115 counties in Missouri. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, heat waves and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $23 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,227 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (24 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2025 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 43 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $7.0 million on 1,160 claims here, including $3.0 million for floods in 1993.

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

Top risks in Ste. Genevieve County

$8.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 years.
  • 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
$5.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 11 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
$2.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 150 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow52.6
$9M
Heat waveModerate93.3
$6M
EarthquakeLow81.6
$2M
TornadoLow57.9
$2M
Cold waveLow58.1
$2M
Strong windModerate70.9
$1M
HailLow52.8
$367K
Winter weatherModerate65.2
$136K
LightningLow29.7
$133K
Ice stormLow34.9
$52K
DroughtVery Low28.9
$27K
WildfireVery Low36.2
$26K
HurricaneVery Low32.8
$22K
LandslideLow77.1
$15K

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 Ste. Genevieve County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm18
Flood7
Severe Ice Storm2
Tornado1
Hurricane1

Most recent

May 21, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 20, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 2, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 21, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 2, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingEmergency
Aug 7, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 18, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 9, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 29
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
Jun 25, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 19, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Dec 29, 2006Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Mar 16, 2006Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 6, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 6, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
May 12, 2000Severe Thunderstorms and Flash FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 2, 1995Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Hail, FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 1, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
May 11, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 21, 1979Tornadoes, Torrential Rain & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 19, 1973Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1952

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 202 storm reports in Ste. Genevieve County since 1952, with 2 deaths and 8 injuries and about $4.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on October 24, 2021 near Avon.

13tornadoes
70hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
94damaging thunderstorm winds
19floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Oct 24, 2021EF3Avon1 / 0
May 18, 1995F2Festus To3 / 0
Mar 18, 1952F2–0 / 0
Mar 11, 2006F2Womack2 / 0
Oct 24, 2021EF2St Marys0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 4, 2008FloodBrickeys$4M
Dec 28, 2015Flash FloodThurman$300K
May 18, 1995TornadoFestus To$195K
Apr 13, 1998TornadoLawrenceton$60K
May 8, 2024Thunderstorm WindBloomsdale$50K
Aug 28, 2024Thunderstorm WindNew Offenburg$40K

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 Ste. Genevieve County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (43 policies)
12.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$7 millionpaid on 1,160 flood claims since 1978
1993costliest year, with $3 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 Ste. Genevieve County

$222,200median home value (Missouri $230,300, US $332,700)
1981median year homes were built (Missouri 1978, US 1980)
48%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
11%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; 8,326 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
Jefferson CountyModerate28
St. Francois CountyLow19
Monroe County, ILVery Low18
Randolph County, ILLow15
Perry CountyLow27

Common questions about Ste. Genevieve County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Ste. Genevieve County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Ste. Genevieve County, about $8.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Heat wave is second at $5.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Ste. Genevieve County had?

Ste. Genevieve County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 24 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in May 2025.

Is Ste. Genevieve County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 53rd 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 Ste. Genevieve County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Ste. Genevieve 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 Ste. Genevieve County had?

NOAA records list 13 tornadoes in Ste. Genevieve County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on October 24, 2021 near Avon. The weather service has also logged 70 hail reports and 19 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.