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Sullivan County, Missouri

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

Very Low overall risk
112th of 115highest risk in Missouri
$4Mexpected losses a year
23federal declarations
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Sullivan County, Missouri has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 90% of US counties. It ranks 112th of 115 counties in Missouri. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $4.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $734 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (18 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes 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 Sullivan County

$1.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
$1 million 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.
$611,207 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 5 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low12.4
$1M
TornadoLow47.7
$1M
Cold waveLow40.9
$611K
DroughtModerate70.7
$488K
Heat waveLow47.3
$295K
Strong windLow23.3
$194K
HailLow42.6
$175K
LightningLow26.5
$85K
EarthquakeVery Low21.8
$30K
WildfireVery Low42.6
$27K
LandslideLow81.3
$17K
Winter weatherVery Low14.1
$10K
Ice stormVery Low10.3
$5K
HurricaneVery Low16.8
$4K

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 Sullivan County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm16
Severe Ice Storm4
Drought1
Flood1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 3, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 7, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 31, 2014Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 18, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 23, 2011Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Feb 3, 2011Severe Winter StormEmergency
Aug 17, 2010Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 19, 2009Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 30, 2009Severe Winter StormEmergency
Show all 23
Nov 13, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding, and A TornadoMajor disaster
Jun 25, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 27, 2007Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Jun 11, 2007Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 11, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 6, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 6, 2002Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Jun 2, 1995Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Hail, FloodingMajor 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 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 185 storm reports in Sullivan County since 1956, with 1 death and 0 injuries and about $341,400 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF1 tornado on May 13, 2009 near Milan.

9tornadoes
86hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
76damaging thunderstorm winds
13floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 13, 2009EF1Milan0 / 1
Jan 24, 1967F1–0 / 0
Sep 7, 1970F1–0 / 0
Aug 20, 1964F1–0 / 0
Jul 19, 2010EF0Harris0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 27, 2004Flash FloodMilan$100K
Oct 29, 2004Thunderstorm WindMilan$40K
Jun 6, 1999Thunderstorm WindHumphreys$30K
May 19, 2018Thunderstorm WindNewtown$30K
May 13, 2009TornadoMilan$25K
Jan 24, 1967Tornado–$25K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 16, 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 Sullivan County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (0 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$329paid on 2 flood claims since 1978
1982costliest year, with $329 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 Sullivan County

$115,600median home value (Missouri $230,300, US $332,700)
1965median year homes were built (Missouri 1978, US 1980)
69%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
11.3%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; 3,010 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
Adair CountyVery Low24
Linn CountyVery Low21
Grundy CountyVery Low20
Putnam CountyVery Low17
Mercer CountyVery Low18

Common questions about Sullivan County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Sullivan County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Sullivan County, about $1.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1 million.

How many federal disasters has Sullivan County had?

Sullivan County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 18 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Sullivan County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 112th 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 Sullivan 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 Sullivan County had?

NOAA records list 9 tornadoes in Sullivan County since 1950. The strongest was an EF1 tornado on May 13, 2009 near Milan. The weather service has also logged 86 hail reports and 13 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.