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Douglas County, Nebraska

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

Relatively High overall risk
1st of 93highest risk in Nebraska
$234Mexpected losses a year
27federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0

Douglas County, Nebraska has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 96% of US counties. It ranks 1st of 93 counties in Nebraska. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and hail. FEMA estimates about $234 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $400 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (25 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2025 (severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (875 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $15 million on 1,045 claims here, including $8.4 million for floods in 2019.

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

Top risks in Douglas County

$88.1 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.

Tornado

Very High
$63.9 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.

Hail

Very High
$24.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 7 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingHigh95.1
$88M
TornadoVery High99.4
$64M
HailVery High99.5
$24M
Cold waveHigh97.3
$20M
Strong windVery High99.5
$16M
Heat waveHigh97.5
$14M
Ice stormVery High97.6
$3M
Winter weatherVery High98.3
$2M
WildfireLow88.8
$1M
LightningHigh88.7
$1M
DroughtLow62.1
$377K
EarthquakeVery Low52.7
$373K
LandslideLow80.8
$20K

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 low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm15
Flood7
Tornado3
Hurricane1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Oct 22, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 21, 2025Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Oct 21, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 20, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 3, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 6, 2021Severe Storms and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Mar 21, 2019Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 1, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Aug 12, 2011FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 27
Jun 18, 2011FloodingEmergency
Jul 15, 2010Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 25, 2010Severe Winter Storms and SnowstormMajor disaster
Jul 18, 2008Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 20, 2008Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacueesEmergency
May 25, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 21, 2003Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Aug 20, 1999Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 1, 1997Severe Snow Storms, Rain, and Strong WindsMajor disaster
Jul 19, 1993Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 4, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 3, 1984Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 24, 1978Storms, Ice Jams, Snowmelt & FloodingMajor disaster
May 7, 1975Severe Storms & TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 23, 1971FloodsMajor disaster
Jul 18, 1967Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

Nebraska also had 14 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 1,036 storm reports in Douglas County since 1956, with 7 deaths and 185 injuries and about $883 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 6, 1975.

23tornadoes
496hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
392damaging thunderstorm winds
87floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 6, 1975F4–118 / 3
Apr 26, 2024EF4Waterloo3 / 0
Aug 18, 1968F3–0 / 0
Apr 17, 2025EF3Flightland Arpt0 / 0
May 7, 1988F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 10, 2001HailOmaha$300M
May 6, 1975Tornado–$250M
Apr 30, 2001HailOmaha$200M
Jun 27, 2008Thunderstorm WindMercer$53M
Jul 31, 2024Thunderstorm WindWaterloo$35M
Aug 7, 1999Flash FloodOmaha$11M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 3, 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 Douglas County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (875 policies)
17.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$14.6 millionpaid on 1,045 flood claims since 1978
2019costliest year, with $8.4 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 Douglas County

$266,100median home value (Nebraska $238,600, US $332,700)
1977median year homes were built (Nebraska 1975, US 1980)
54%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
0.9%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; 251,553 housing units.

Compare in Nebraska

All 93 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Douglas CountyHighInland flooding
Lancaster CountyModerateTornado
Sarpy CountyModerateTornado
Hall CountyLowInland flooding
Buffalo CountyLowHail
Dodge CountyLowInland flooding
Scotts Bluff CountyLowHail
Madison CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Sarpy CountyModerate23
Pottawattamie County, IALow24
Dodge CountyLow19
Saunders CountyVery Low28
Washington CountyVery Low22

Cities in Douglas County

Common questions about Douglas County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Douglas County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Douglas County, about $88.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $63.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Douglas County had?

Douglas County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 25 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in October 2025.

Is Douglas County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively High, 1st highest of 93 in Nebraska. 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 Douglas County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Douglas 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 Douglas County had?

NOAA records list 23 tornadoes in Douglas County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 6, 1975. The weather service has also logged 496 hail reports and 87 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.