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Lincoln County, Oklahoma

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

Relatively Low overall risk
30th of 77highest risk in Oklahoma
$20Mexpected losses a year
43federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Lincoln County, Oklahoma has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 71% of US counties. It ranks 30th of 77 counties in Oklahoma. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $20 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $596 per resident. Since 1970 it has been included in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (33 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2025 (wildfires and straight-line winds). Only 11 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $77,000 on 27 claims here.

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

Top risks in Lincoln County

$4.5 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.
$4.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.

Tornado

Moderate
$4.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow50.4
$5M
Cold waveHigh89.2
$4M
TornadoModerate88.6
$4M
Heat waveModerate86.3
$2M
WildfireModerate92.8
$1M
HailModerate90.7
$1M
DroughtModerate88.2
$980K
Ice stormHigh92.9
$834K
Strong windLow34.8
$232K
EarthquakeVery Low50.1
$185K
LightningLow43.6
$124K
Winter weatherModerate75.0
$111K
LandslideLow69.6
$4K
HurricaneVery Low18.7
$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 very high 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 Lincoln County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm18
Severe Ice Storm10
Fire6
Flood4
Tornado4
Hurricane1

Most recent

May 21, 2025Wildfires and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Mar 18, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 14, 2025Chandler FireFire management
Mar 14, 2025Logan FireFire management
Apr 30, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 24, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 17, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Dec 21, 2020Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jul 12, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 1, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 43
May 26, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 26, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 20, 2013Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 2, 2011Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jul 26, 2010Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 5, 2010Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 25, 2010Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 30, 2010Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jun 19, 2009WildfiresMajor disaster
Dec 18, 2007Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Dec 10, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Jul 7, 2007Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 7, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 1, 2007Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Jan 14, 2007Severe Winter Storms and FloodingEmergency
Jan 10, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Jan 2, 2006Prague FireFire management
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 10, 2003Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 1, 2002Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Jan 5, 2001Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Dec 28, 2000Severe Winter and Ice StormEmergency
May 4, 1999Ok, Tornadoes 5/3/99Major disaster
Jun 26, 1995Tornadoes, Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 12, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
May 18, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 26, 1983Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 18, 1982Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1975Severe Storms, Flooding & TornadoesMajor disaster
Nov 26, 1974Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 10, 1974Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 13, 1973Severe Storms, Flooding, & TornadoesMajor disaster
Oct 14, 1970Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

Oklahoma also had 43 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1950

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 826 storm reports in Lincoln County since 1950, with 3 deaths and 143 injuries and about $116 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on October 5, 1970.

96tornadoes
445hail reports, largest 3 inches
246damaging thunderstorm winds
31floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Oct 5, 1970F4–4 / 0
May 1, 1954F4–65 / 0
May 1, 1954F4–0 / 0
May 3, 1999F3Sparks13 / 0
Apr 2, 1956F3–30 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 3, 1999TornadoSparks$60M
Oct 5, 1970Tornado–$25M
Aug 7, 1994Thunderstorm WindPrague$5M
May 1, 1954Tornado–$3M
May 1, 1954Tornado–$3M
Apr 2, 1956Tornado–$3M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 4, 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.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1900, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Lincoln County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1900, with top winds near 45 mph about 62 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
1tropical storms
1900most recent: unnamed storm

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 10, 1900UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 10, 1900UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Lincoln County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (11 policies)
3.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$76,542paid on 27 flood claims since 1978
1988costliest year, with $22,771 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 Lincoln County

$166,500median home value (Oklahoma $199,800, US $332,700)
1986median year homes were built (Oklahoma 1980, US 1980)
42%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
21.4%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; 14,561 housing units.

Compare in Oklahoma

All 77 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Oklahoma CountyHighInland flooding
Tulsa CountyHighInland flooding
Cleveland CountyModerateInland flooding
Canadian CountyModerateInland flooding
Comanche CountyModerateInland flooding
Rogers CountyLowInland flooding
Payne CountyModerateCold wave
Wagoner CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Oklahoma CountyHigh49
Payne CountyModerate37
Pottawatomie CountyModerate42
Creek CountyModerate45
Logan CountyLow45
Okfuskee CountyVery Low38

Common questions about Lincoln County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Lincoln County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Lincoln County, about $4.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $4.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Lincoln County had?

Lincoln County has been included in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1970, including 33 major disasters. The most recent was Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds in May 2025.

Is Lincoln County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 30th highest of 77 in Oklahoma. 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 Lincoln County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Lincoln 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 Lincoln County had?

NOAA records list 96 tornadoes in Lincoln County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on October 5, 1970. The weather service has also logged 445 hail reports and 31 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Lincoln County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Lincoln County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1900, with winds near 45 mph.

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.