Garden County, Nebraska
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Garden County, Nebraska has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 97% of US counties. It ranks 77th of 93 counties in Nebraska. The costliest hazards here are drought, inland flooding and lightning. FEMA estimates about $3.1 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,634 per resident. Since 2001 it has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2026 (wildfires). Only 13 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 Garden County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- 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.
- Go indoors when you hear thunder.
- Use surge protectors for electronics.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 74.5 | $858K | ||
| Inland flooding | 2.8 | $602K | ||
| Lightning | 63.6 | $493K | ||
| Hail | 56.8 | $431K | ||
| Cold wave | 17.2 | $227K | ||
| Tornado | 14.1 | $156K | ||
| Strong wind | 12.8 | $129K | ||
| Wildfire | 62.4 | $127K | ||
| Winter weather | 21.5 | $24K | ||
| Earthquake | 8.5 | $10K | ||
| Heat wave | 3.6 | $4K | ||
| Ice storm | 4.2 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 10.1 | $36 |
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 relatively low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Garden County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 11
Nebraska also had 14 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1953
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 497 storm reports in Garden County since 1953, with 1 death and 1 injury and about $9.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on April 27, 2025 near Oshkosh.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2025 | EF2 | Oshkosh | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 15, 1980 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 20, 2003 | F2 | Lewellen | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 16, 1960 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 31, 1980 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oshkosh | $4M |
| Jun 5, 1996 | Hail | Oshkosh | $2M |
| Jun 27, 1999 | Hail | Oshkosh | $1M |
| Apr 27, 2025 | Tornado | Oshkosh | $750K |
| Oct 15, 1980 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jul 25, 1996 | Hail | Lisco | $200K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 28, 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 Garden County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Garden County
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; 1,173 housing units.
Compare in Nebraska
All 93 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | Inland flooding | |
| Lancaster County | Tornado | |
| Sarpy County | Tornado | |
| Hall County | Inland flooding | |
| Buffalo County | Hail | |
| Dodge County | Inland flooding | |
| Scotts Bluff County | Hail | |
| Madison County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne County | 8 | |
| Keith County | 7 | |
| Sheridan County | 7 | |
| Morrill County | 15 | |
| Deuel County | 7 | |
| Grant County | 5 | |
| Arthur County | 10 |
Common questions about Garden County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Garden County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Garden County, about $858,372 a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $602,013.
How many federal disasters has Garden County had?
Garden County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 2001, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Wildfires in June 2026.
Is Garden County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 77th 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 Garden County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 143 homes in Garden 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 Garden County had?
NOAA records list 26 tornadoes in Garden County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on April 27, 2025 near Oshkosh. The weather service has also logged 315 hail reports and 9 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.