Independence County, Arkansas: hazard risk
FEMA rates Independence County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 69.1 of 100, higher than 69% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by ice storm. Its storm record holds 687 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Very High | 97.9 | $2.4M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 89.2 | $5.8M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 72.4 | $2.0M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 67.8 | $104K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 60.7 | $296K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 90.0 | $4.5M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 76.4 | $1.1M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 70.5 | $155K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 65.3 | $3K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 58.9 | $227K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 56.5 | $7.0M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 49.5 | $471K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 44.9 | $186K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 50.7 | $66K |
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 | 225 | 0 | $6.1M | 37th of 75 | 1403rd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 177 | 0 | – | 31st of 75 | 856th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 93 | 1 | $46M | 24th of 75 | 802nd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 77 | 0 | $71M | 23rd of 75 | 1485th of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 42 | 8 | $202M | 26th of 75 | 940th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 15 | 0 | – | 8th of 75 | 648th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 13 | 0 | – | 72nd of 75 | 1752nd of 3,063 |
| Lightning | 10 | 0 | $1.1M | 26th of 75 | 878th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 9 | 0 | – | 61st of 75 | 1353rd of 3,076 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 0 | – | 30th of 75 | 1725th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 0 | $489K | 45th of 75 | 2392nd of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 0 | $2.0M | 33rd of 75 | 626th of 1,849 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 0 | – | 26th of 75 | 592nd of 2,972 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Independence County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.