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Knox County, Nebraska

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

Very Low overall risk
30th of 93highest risk in Nebraska
$10Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 143homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Knox County, Nebraska has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 70% of US counties. It ranks 30th of 93 counties in Nebraska. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $9.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,141 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2022 (severe storms and straight-line winds). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (65 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $805,000 on 26 claims here.

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

Top risks in Knox County

$3.6 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.
$1.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 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.
$1.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 6 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 Low31.3
$4M
TornadoLow53.2
$1M
Cold waveLow55.9
$1M
DroughtModerate83.7
$1M
HailModerate78.9
$817K
WildfireLow81.4
$463K
Strong windLow34.1
$335K
Ice stormModerate71.4
$234K
Winter weatherModerate77.8
$183K
Heat waveVery Low28.7
$123K
LightningLow26.3
$93K
EarthquakeVery Low14.5
$15K
LandslideVery Low42.7
$789

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 moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Flood7
Severe Storm7
Hurricane1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Jul 27, 2022Severe Storms and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Mar 21, 2019Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 29, 2018Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Aug 12, 2011FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 18, 2011FloodingEmergency
Jul 15, 2010Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 25, 2010Severe Winter Storms and SnowstormMajor disaster
Jun 6, 2007Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 7, 2007Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Jan 26, 2006Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Show all 16
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacueesEmergency
Jul 21, 2003Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Mar 24, 1978Storms, Ice Jams, Snowmelt & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1971FloodsMajor 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 1950

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 557 storm reports in Knox County since 1950, with 1 death and 112 injuries and about $13.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on October 4, 2013 near Creighton.

46tornadoes
322hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
147damaging thunderstorm winds
37floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Oct 4, 2013EF3Creighton0 / 0
May 30, 1959F2–2 / 1
Apr 20, 1985F2–0 / 0
May 5, 2007EF2Crofton3 / 0
Jun 13, 1950F2–101 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 20, 1985Tornado–$3M
Jun 14, 1996HailCreighton$2M
Aug 14, 1997HailCenter$2M
Jun 23, 2000HailCrofton$2M
Mar 13, 2019FloodVerdel$1M
May 5, 2007TornadoCrofton$1M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 1, 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 Knox County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (65 policies)
7.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$804,619paid on 26 flood claims since 1978
2011costliest year, with $643,982 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 Knox County

$127,700median home value (Nebraska $238,600, US $332,700)
1967median year homes were built (Nebraska 1975, US 1980)
69%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
8.3%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; 4,521 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
Yankton County, SDLow14
Holt CountyVery Low14
Charles Mix County, SDLow15
Cedar CountyVery Low14
Pierce CountyVery Low15
Bon Homme County, SDVery Low14
Antelope CountyVery Low11
Boyd CountyVery Low16

Common questions about Knox County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Knox County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Knox County, about $3.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Knox County had?

Knox County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds in July 2022.

Is Knox County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 30th 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 Knox County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 143 homes in Knox 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 Knox County had?

NOAA records list 46 tornadoes in Knox County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on October 4, 2013 near Creighton. The weather service has also logged 322 hail reports and 37 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.