Butler County, Iowa: hazard risk
FEMA rates Butler County's overall risk Very Low (score 27.1 of 100, higher than 27% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 734 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 88.5 | $2.4M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 53.9 | $1.0M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 58.3 | $139K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 55.4 | $527K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 48.3 | $1.9M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 45.7 | $1.3M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 37.2 | $7.1M |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 22.4 | $15K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 21.9 | $230 |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 20.2 | $27K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 12.8 | $45K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 10.0 | $3K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 9.2 | $14K |
| Lightning | Very Low | 6.9 | $36K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 172 | 0 | $4.1M | 64th of 99 | 1210th of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 135 | 1 | $4.7M | 84th of 99 | 1965th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 128 | 1 | $54M | 17th of 99 | 329th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 93 | 1 | $1.8M | 55th of 99 | 953rd of 3,077 |
| Heavy rain | 66 | 0 | – | 15th of 99 | 123rd of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 38 | 0 | $1.9M | 32nd of 99 | 640th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 32 | 0 | $9.4M | 36th of 99 | 429th of 3,076 |
| Tornadoes | 31 | 9 | $137M | 73rd of 99 | 1047th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 26 | 0 | $105M | 58th of 99 | 1055th of 3,063 |
| Heat | 3 | 0 | $177K | 98th of 99 | 1863rd of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 3 | 0 | $216K | 42nd of 99 | 1209th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Butler County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.