Hurricane Risk in Iowa
All Iowa counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index hurricane score
Hurricane risk — tropical cyclones bringing extreme wind, rain, and storm surge — is rated for 70 of 99 Iowa counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Polk County carries the state's highest hurricane score at 27.5, with $14K in expected annual hurricane losses.
No Iowa county reaches the High band for hurricane, and expected annual losses from hurricane total roughly $237K statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Hurricane
| # | County | Hurricane Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Polk County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $14K | |
| 2 | Washington County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $6K | |
| 3 | Carroll County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $6K | |
| 4 | Delaware County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $6K | |
| 5 | Hardin County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $5K | |
| 6 | Hamilton County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $6K | |
| 7 | Lee County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $5K | |
| 8 | Cass County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $4K | |
| 9 | Scott County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $6K | |
| 10 | Fayette County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $4K | |
| 11 | Black Hawk County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $5K | |
| 12 | Tama County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $4K | |
| 13 | Wright County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $4K | |
| 14 | Linn County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $5K | |
| 15 | Henry County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $4K | |
| 16 | Des Moines County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $4K | |
| 17 | Marshall County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $4K | |
| 18 | Audubon County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $4K | |
| 19 | Clayton County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $4K | |
| 20 | Adair County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 21 | Calhoun County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 22 | Story County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $5K | |
| 23 | Clinton County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $4K | |
| 24 | Davis County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $2K | |
| 25 | Johnson County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $5K | |
| 26 | Van Buren County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 27 | Webster County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $4K | |
| 28 | Jefferson County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 29 | Muscatine County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 30 | Greene County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $4K | |
| 31 | Dallas County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $5K | |
| 32 | Buchanan County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $5K | |
| 33 | Jasper County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 34 | Floyd County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 35 | Chickasaw County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 36 | Winneshiek County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $4K | |
| 37 | Benton County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $4K | |
| 38 | Louisa County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 39 | Poweshiek County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 40 | Allamakee County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $2K | |
| 41 | Franklin County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 42 | Cerro Gordo County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $2K | |
| 43 | Dubuque County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $4K | |
| 44 | Mahaska County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 45 | Union County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $2K | |
| 46 | Iowa County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 47 | Jackson County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 48 | Keokuk County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $2K | |
| 49 | Taylor County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $2K | |
| 50 | Cedar County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 51 | Wapello County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $2K | |
| 52 | Guthrie County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 53 | Butler County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 54 | Howard County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 55 | Boone County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 56 | Grundy County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $3K | |
| 57 | Appanoose County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $1K | |
| 58 | Jones County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $2K | |
| 59 | Wayne County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $1K | |
| 60 | Humboldt County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $2K | |
| 61 | Madison County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $1K | |
| 62 | Decatur County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $1K | |
| 63 | Bremer County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $2K | |
| 64 | Adams County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $1K | |
| 65 | Marion County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $2K | |
| 66 | Lucas County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $889 | |
| 67 | Clarke County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $1K | |
| 68 | Ringgold County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $1K | |
| 69 | Warren County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $1K | |
| 70 | Monroe County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $798 |
70 Iowa counties with measurable hurricane risk. See the national hurricane ranking or all Iowa counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Iowa county has the highest hurricane risk?
Polk County has the highest FEMA hurricane risk score in Iowa at 27.5 (Very Low), with $14K in expected annual losses and about 0.01 events per year.
How many Iowa counties face significant hurricane risk?
70 Iowa counties record measurable hurricane risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 0 of them are rated High or Very High.