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Sarpy County, Nebraska

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
3rd of 93highest risk in Nebraska
$80Mexpected losses a year
23federal declarations
1 in 111homes with flood insurance
Photo: aidankinser, public domain

Sarpy County, Nebraska has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 84% of US counties. It ranks 3rd of 93 counties in Nebraska. The costliest hazards here are tornadoes, inland flooding and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $80 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $422 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (21 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2025 (severe winter storm and straight-line winds). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (551 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $21 million on 848 claims here, including $15 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 Sarpy County

$29.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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.
$23.9 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$6.8 million 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
TornadoHigh97.2
$29M
Inland floodingModerate73.6
$24M
Cold waveModerate82.7
$7M
HailHigh97.0
$6M
Strong windHigh96.2
$6M
Heat waveModerate89.7
$5M
Ice stormHigh87.4
$1M
LightningModerate70.3
$792K
WildfireLow81.5
$737K
Winter weatherHigh87.6
$531K
DroughtLow53.9
$302K
EarthquakeVery Low28.9
$104K
LandslideLow69.1
$8K

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 Sarpy County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm12
Flood8
Tornado1
Hurricane1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

May 21, 2025Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Oct 21, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 20, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 23, 2022Severe 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
Jun 18, 2011FloodingEmergency
Jul 15, 2010Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 23
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
Nov 1, 1997Severe Snow Storms, Rain, and Strong WindsMajor disaster
Jul 19, 1993Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 2, 1993Ice Jams & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 4, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 3, 1984Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 24, 1978Storms, Ice Jams, Snowmelt & FloodingMajor 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 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 538 storm reports in Sarpy County since 1957, with 3 deaths and 16 injuries and about $463 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 6, 1975.

15tornadoes
254hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
217damaging thunderstorm winds
43floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 6, 1975F4–15 / 0
May 7, 1988F2–1 / 2
Jun 8, 2008EF2Gretna0 / 0
Jun 16, 2017EF2Ft Crook0 / 0
May 13, 1957F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 15, 2019FloodOffutt AFB$420M
May 16, 1995HailBellevue$20M
Jul 31, 2024Thunderstorm WindGretna$15M
Jul 27, 1996HailOffutt AFB$3M
May 7, 1988Tornado–$3M
Jun 24, 1997Flash FloodOffutt AFB$1M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 8, 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 Sarpy County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.9%of homes have federal flood insurance (551 policies)
36.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$21.4 millionpaid on 848 flood claims since 1978
2019costliest year, with $14.6 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 Sarpy County

$314,100median home value (Nebraska $238,600, US $332,700)
1996median year homes were built (Nebraska 1975, US 1980)
29%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; 76,780 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
Douglas CountyHigh27
Pottawattamie County, IALow24
Cass CountyVery Low25
Saunders CountyVery Low28
Mills County, IAVery Low18

Cities in Sarpy County

Common questions about Sarpy County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Sarpy County?

Tornado has the highest expected yearly losses in Sarpy County, about $29.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $23.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Sarpy County had?

Sarpy County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 21 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds in May 2025.

Is Sarpy County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 3rd 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 Sarpy County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 111 homes in Sarpy 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 Sarpy County had?

NOAA records list 15 tornadoes in Sarpy County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 6, 1975. The weather service has also logged 254 hail reports and 43 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.