Cherokee County, Iowa: hazard risk
FEMA rates Cherokee County's overall risk Very Low (score 34.1 of 100, higher than 34% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 708 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 88.6 | $1.5M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 80.3 | $929K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 60.8 | $91K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 52.7 | $588K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 60.8 | $1.8M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 49.5 | $912K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 47.6 | $75K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 39.1 | $4.6M |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 26.0 | $91K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 43.9 | $858 |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 27.8 | $116K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 24.5 | $10K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 10.7 | $10K |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 172 | 0 | $78K | 13th of 99 | 355th of 3,077 |
| Hail | 168 | 0 | $2.6M | 22nd of 99 | 682nd of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 121 | 0 | $1.4M | 82nd of 99 | 1958th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 67 | 0 | $9.1M | 36th of 99 | 694th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 53 | 0 | $13M | 4th of 99 | 378th of 3,063 |
| High wind and dust storms | 35 | 0 | $271K | 38th of 99 | 722nd of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 33 | 0 | $37M | 59th of 99 | 868th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 25 | 0 | – | 11th of 99 | 592nd of 3,076 |
| Extreme cold | 23 | 0 | – | 75th of 99 | 650th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 0 | – | 76th of 99 | 1128th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $32K | 83rd of 99 | 2001st 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 Cherokee County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.