Calhoun County, Iowa: hazard risk
FEMA rates Calhoun County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 44.6 of 100, higher than 44% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by drought. Its storm record holds 609 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 High | 97.1 | $3.7M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 92.8 | $2.1M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 73.6 | $2.8M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 65.2 | $795K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 61.7 | $91K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 60.3 | $1.3M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 46.6 | $69K |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | 20.6 | $2.4M |
| Landslide | Very Low | 20.5 | $116 |
| Lightning | Very Low | 20.2 | $65K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 17.7 | $46K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 14.7 | $3K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 14.6 | $15K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 8.5 | $3K |
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 | 132 | 0 | $48M | 57th of 99 | 1136th of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 130 | 0 | $9.1M | 93rd of 99 | 2046th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 90 | 0 | $3.6M | 56th of 99 | 969th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 61 | 0 | $33M | 49th of 99 | 865th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 45 | 0 | $2.2M | 14th of 99 | 483rd of 3,080 |
| Drought | 37 | 0 | $131M | 22nd of 99 | 694th of 3,063 |
| Tornadoes | 37 | 4 | $122M | 32nd of 99 | 476th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 32 | 0 | $5.9M | 30th of 99 | 409th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 29 | 0 | $68K | 46th of 99 | 253rd of 3,080 |
| Heat | 4 | 0 | $177K | 68th of 99 | 1714th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 2 | 0 | $30K | 56th of 99 | 1511th 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 Calhoun County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.