Mahaska County, Iowa: hazard risk
FEMA rates Mahaska County's overall risk Very Low (score 29.7 of 100, higher than 29% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 622 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 Moderate | 83.9 | $1.3M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 69.3 | $1.1M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 64.6 | $509K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 54.9 | $537K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 54.6 | $1.7M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 46.6 | $66K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 44.5 | $76K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 36.4 | $4.9M |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 35.0 | $152K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 34.7 | $597K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 58.9 | $3K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 42.4 | $34K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 29.5 | $81K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 11.1 | $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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 151 | 0 | $3.8M | 47th of 99 | 1642nd of 3,080 |
| Floods | 146 | 0 | $53M | 10th of 99 | 219th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 91 | 0 | $2.0M | 91st of 99 | 1689th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 69 | 0 | $8.8M | 91st of 99 | 1308th of 3,077 |
| Heavy rain | 39 | 0 | – | 34th of 99 | 199th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 32 | 0 | $156M | 34th of 99 | 832nd of 3,063 |
| Tornadoes | 27 | 1 | $78M | 75th of 99 | 1107th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 26 | 1 | $1.2M | 56th of 99 | 968th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 24 | 0 | $85M | 67th of 99 | 614th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 8 | 0 | $621K | 10th of 99 | 507th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 4 | 0 | $177K | 70th of 99 | 1716th of 3,076 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Mahaska County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.