Iron County, Missouri Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · MO
LowComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 69th
Iron County faces low composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 69.5, 69th national percentile), driven primarily by heat wave and cold wave exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $23M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
Overall natural disaster risk in Iron County is low, with a National Risk Index score of 69.5 out of 100 — placing it in the 69th national percentile and below the national average for natural-disaster risk. The score blends Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across all 18 FEMA hazard types.
Risk here concentrates in heat wave (prolonged periods of extreme heat that threaten health and infrastructure) at Medium risk — $6M in expected annual loss and about 10.63 events per year; cold wave (prolonged spells of dangerously low temperatures) at Medium risk — $4M in expected annual loss and about 1.26 events per year; and earthquake (ground shaking from sudden movement along geologic faults) at Low risk — $1M in expected annual loss and about 0.01 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $23M in expected annual loss for a population of 9K.
Beyond physical exposure, Iron County has a high social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a low community resilience rating (its capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters). That combination — a more vulnerable population with limited resilience — can amplify the human cost of any given event.
History supports the rating: Iron County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including 16 for severe storm events and 4 for flood events. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding (severe storm), declared in May 2025.
Among 115 Missouri counties, Iron County ranks #30 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Heat Wave | Medium | 10.63 / yr | $6M |
| Cold Wave | Medium | 1.26 / yr | $4M |
| Earthquake | Low | 0.01 / yr | $1M |
| Landslide | Low | 1.98 / yr | $8K |
| Riverine Flood | Low | 0.82 / yr | $8M |
| Tornado | Low | 0.34 / yr | $1M |
| Strong Wind | Medium | 3.34 / yr | $523K |
| Lightning | Low | 55.54 / yr | $199K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $40K |
| Winter Weather | Low | 8.16 / yr | $50K |
| Ice Storm | Low | 0.87 / yr | $36K |
| Hail | Very Low | 3.86 / yr | $90K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 0.02 / yr | $10K |
| Drought | Very Low | 2.16 / yr | $704 |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Coastal Flood | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Disaster History
Iron County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1976, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in May 2025. Most frequent causes: Severe Storm (16), Flood (4), Biological (2).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| May 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| May 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Wildfires |
| September 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| January 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| June 2017 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding |
| January 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| January 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| July 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Iron County?
Iron County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 69.5 out of 100, placing it in the Low category and the 69th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Iron County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Heat Wave (Medium, $6M EAL), Cold Wave (Medium, $4M EAL), Earthquake (Low, $1M EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Iron County compare to other Missouri counties?
Iron County ranks #30 of 115 Missouri counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a low rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Iron County had?
FEMA records 26 federal disaster declarations for Iron County since 1976, most often 16 for severe storm events and 4 for flood events. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, declared in May 2025.
What does Expected Annual Loss (EAL) mean?
EAL is FEMA's estimate of average annual dollar losses from natural hazards, calculated from historical event data and exposure models. Iron County's $23M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.