Cass County, Iowa: hazard risk
FEMA rates Cass County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 60.1 of 100, higher than 60% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by drought. Its storm record holds 724 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 | 97.6 | $3.3M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86.9 | $4.3M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 79.5 | $662K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 75.8 | $2.5M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 60.9 | $584K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 71.8 | $775K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 65.5 | $3K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 56.4 | $88K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 48.2 | $47K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 43.4 | $4.2M |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 40.6 | $21K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 17.6 | $4K |
| Lightning | Very Low | 17.6 | $47K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 16.2 | $15K |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 203 | 0 | $7.5M | 27th of 99 | 1355th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 174 | 0 | $4.4M | 29th of 99 | 745th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 83 | 0 | – | 9th of 99 | 99th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 72 | 1 | $9.5M | 85th of 99 | 1228th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 51 | 0 | $44M | 79th of 99 | 1263rd of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 40 | 0 | $13M | 30th of 99 | 447th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 34 | 0 | $1.7M | 37th of 99 | 706th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 32 | 0 | $156M | 33rd of 99 | 820th of 3,063 |
| Extreme cold | 24 | 0 | $5.9M | 63rd of 99 | 603rd of 3,076 |
| Heat | 4 | 0 | $177K | 61st of 99 | 1700th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 2 | 0 | $71K | 55th of 99 | 1503rd 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 Cass County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.