Madison County, Iowa: hazard risk
FEMA rates Madison County's overall risk Very Low (score 35.5 of 100, higher than 35% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by drought. Its storm record holds 585 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 | 95.0 | $2.3M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 64.8 | $758K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 78.7 | $13K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 68.0 | $464K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 55.9 | $101K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 54.9 | $1.3M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 51.7 | $371K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 51.1 | $60K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 45.2 | $717K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 36.6 | $3.9M |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 28.1 | $92K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 59.9 | $75K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 17.9 | $21K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 8.6 | $1K |
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 | 152 | 0 | $1.8M | 56th of 99 | 1091st of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 125 | 0 | $15M | 90th of 99 | 2017th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 80 | 0 | $8.3M | 71st of 99 | 1085th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 55 | 0 | $33M | 65th of 99 | 1064th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 38 | 6 | $79M | 56th of 99 | 827th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 32 | 0 | – | 36th of 99 | 205th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 31 | 0 | $156M | 36th of 99 | 846th of 3,063 |
| Extreme cold | 25 | 0 | $5.9M | 56th of 99 | 569th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 25 | 0 | $1.5M | 58th of 99 | 984th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 4 | 0 | $177K | 59th of 99 | 1695th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $235K | 80th of 99 | 1979th 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 Madison County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.