Data / Rankings / National Risk Index score (FEMA) / Counties in Iowa

Counties in Iowa by national Risk Index score (FEMA), 2025

Polk County had the highest national Risk Index score (FEMA) of 99 counties in 2025, at 92. Worth County had the lowest, at 9.9. The median was 36.1. Source: the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

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Highest92Polk County
Lowest9.9Worth County
Median36.199 counties

Map of counties, 2025

Adair County: 49.5 indexAdams County: 20.4 indexAllamakee County: 38.2 indexAppanoose County: 41.2 indexAudubon County: 38.6 indexBenton County: 28.8 indexBlack Hawk County: 76.6 indexBoone County: 28.4 indexBremer County: 24.6 indexBuchanan County: 24.1 indexBuena Vista County: 39.3 indexButler County: 27.1 indexCalhoun County: 44.6 indexCarroll County: 57.6 indexCass County: 60.1 indexCedar County: 21.5 indexCerro Gordo County: 69.6 indexCherokee County: 34.1 indexChickasaw County: 31.7 indexClarke County: 18.4 indexClay County: 36.4 indexClayton County: 42.2 indexClinton County: 64.8 indexCrawford County: 60.9 indexDallas County: 60.6 indexDavis County: 50.4 indexDecatur County: 23.6 indexDelaware County: 49.8 indexDes Moines County: 55.8 indexDickinson County: 36.3 indexDubuque County: 63.6 indexEmmet County: 42.8 indexFayette County: 50.9 indexFloyd County: 47.7 indexFranklin County: 22 indexFremont County: 15 indexGreene County: 31.8 indexGrundy County: 13.1 indexGuthrie County: 26.5 indexHamilton County: 42.9 indexHancock County: 28.8 indexHardin County: 58.4 indexHarrison County: 31.3 indexHenry County: 30.9 indexHoward County: 15.6 indexHumboldt County: 24.1 indexIda County: 18.4 indexIowa County: 28.2 indexJackson County: 36.1 indexJasper County: 43.7 indexJefferson County: 27.1 indexJohnson County: 87.4 indexJones County: 32.7 indexKeokuk County: 21.9 indexKossuth County: 32.3 indexLee County: 63 indexLinn County: 86.7 indexLouisa County: 17.5 indexLucas County: 29.7 indexLyon County: 19.2 indexMadison County: 35.5 indexMahaska County: 29.7 indexMarion County: 34.4 indexMarshall County: 62.5 indexMills County: 18.5 indexMitchell County: 37.7 indexMonona County: 25.1 indexMonroe County: 10.3 indexMontgomery County: 33.7 indexMuscatine County: 57.8 indexO'Brien County: 16.4 indexOsceola County: 14.9 indexPage County: 40.2 indexPalo Alto County: 15.5 indexPlymouth County: 49.2 indexPocahontas County: 33.1 indexPolk County: 92 indexPottawattamie County: 80.4 indexPoweshiek County: 31.3 indexRinggold County: 14.2 indexSac County: 27.3 indexScott County: 84.9 indexShelby County: 22.8 indexSioux County: 52.4 indexStory County: 68.8 indexTama County: 45.3 indexTaylor County: 38.5 indexUnion County: 49.5 indexVan Buren County: 33.6 indexWapello County: 65.3 indexWarren County: 36.1 indexWashington County: 44.2 indexWayne County: 22 indexWebster County: 60 indexWinnebago County: 30.7 indexWinneshiek County: 36.2 indexWoodbury County: 83.3 indexWorth County: 9.9 indexWright County: 41.5 index
  • Under 22
  • 22 to 29
  • 29 to 36
  • 36 to 44
  • 44 to 60
  • 60 and over
index, 2025. Source: FEMA National Risk Index, National Risk Index Counties, National Risk Index Score Composite (RISK_SCORE). Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2025

Polk County: 92 indexPolk County92Johnson County: 87.4 indexJohnson County87.4Linn County: 86.7 indexLinn County86.7Scott County: 84.9 indexScott County84.9Woodbury County: 83.3 indexWoodbury County83.3Pottawattamie County: 80.4 indexPottawattamie County80.4Black Hawk County: 76.6 indexBlack Hawk County76.6Cerro Gordo County: 69.6 indexCerro Gordo County69.6Story County: 68.8 indexStory County68.8Wapello County: 65.3 indexWapello County65.3Clinton County: 64.8 indexClinton County64.8Dubuque County: 63.6 indexDubuque County63.6Lee County: 63 indexLee County63Marshall County: 62.5 indexMarshall County62.5Crawford County: 60.9 indexCrawford County60.9Dallas County: 60.6 indexDallas County60.6Cass County: 60.1 indexCass County60.1Webster County: 60 indexWebster County60Hardin County: 58.4 indexHardin County58.4Muscatine County: 57.8 indexMuscatine County57.8Carroll County: 57.6 indexCarroll County57.6Des Moines County: 55.8 indexDes Moines County55.8Sioux County: 52.4 indexSioux County52.4Fayette County: 50.9 indexFayette County50.9Davis County: 50.4 indexDavis County50.4Delaware County: 49.8 indexDelaware County49.8Union County: 49.5 indexUnion County49.5Adair County: 49.5 indexAdair County49.5Plymouth County: 49.2 indexPlymouth County49.2Floyd County: 47.7 indexFloyd County47.7Tama County: 45.3 indexTama County45.3Calhoun County: 44.6 indexCalhoun County44.6Washington County: 44.2 indexWashington County44.2Jasper County: 43.7 indexJasper County43.7Hamilton County: 42.9 indexHamilton County42.9Emmet County: 42.8 indexEmmet County42.8Clayton County: 42.2 indexClayton County42.2Wright County: 41.5 indexWright County41.5Appanoose County: 41.2 indexAppanoose County41.2Page County: 40.2 indexPage County40.2Polk County: 92 indexPolk County92Johnson County: 87.4 indexJohnson County87.4Linn County: 86.7 indexLinn County86.7Scott County: 84.9 indexScott County84.9Woodbury County: 83.3 indexWoodbury County83.3Pottawattamie County: 80.4 indexPottawattamie County80.4Black Hawk County: 76.6 indexBlack Hawk County76.6Cerro Gordo County: 69.6 indexCerro Gordo County69.6Story County: 68.8 indexStory County68.8Wapello County: 65.3 indexWapello County65.3Clinton County: 64.8 indexClinton County64.8Dubuque County: 63.6 indexDubuque County63.6Lee County: 63 indexLee County63Marshall County: 62.5 indexMarshall County62.5Crawford County: 60.9 indexCrawford County60.9Dallas County: 60.6 indexDallas County60.6Cass County: 60.1 indexCass County60.1Webster County: 60 indexWebster County60Hardin County: 58.4 indexHardin County58.4Muscatine County: 57.8 indexMuscatine County57.8Carroll County: 57.6 indexCarroll County57.6Des Moines County: 55.8 indexDes Moines County55.8Sioux County: 52.4 indexSioux County52.4Fayette County: 50.9 indexFayette County50.9Davis County: 50.4 indexDavis County50.4Delaware County: 49.8 indexDelaware County49.8Union County: 49.5 indexUnion County49.5Adair County: 49.5 indexAdair County49.5Plymouth County: 49.2 indexPlymouth County49.2Floyd County: 47.7 indexFloyd County47.7Tama County: 45.3 indexTama County45.3Calhoun County: 44.6 indexCalhoun County44.6Washington County: 44.2 indexWashington County44.2Jasper County: 43.7 indexJasper County43.7Hamilton County: 42.9 indexHamilton County42.9Emmet County: 42.8 indexEmmet County42.8Clayton County: 42.2 indexClayton County42.2Wright County: 41.5 indexWright County41.5Appanoose County: 41.2 indexAppanoose County41.2Page County: 40.2 indexPage County40.2
index. Source: FEMA National Risk Index, National Risk Index Counties, National Risk Index Score Composite (RISK_SCORE). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2025
index
1Polk County92
2Johnson County87.4
3Linn County86.7
4Scott County84.9
5Woodbury County83.3
6Pottawattamie County80.4
7Black Hawk County76.6
8Cerro Gordo County69.6
9Story County68.8
10Wapello County65.3
11Clinton County64.8
12Dubuque County63.6
13Lee County63
14Marshall County62.5
15Crawford County60.9
16Dallas County60.6
17Cass County60.1
18Webster County60
19Hardin County58.4
20Muscatine County57.8
21Carroll County57.6
22Des Moines County55.8
23Sioux County52.4
24Fayette County50.9
25Davis County50.4
26Delaware County49.8
27Union County49.5
28Adair County49.5
29Plymouth County49.2
30Floyd County47.7
31Tama County45.3
32Calhoun County44.6
33Washington County44.2
34Jasper County43.7
35Hamilton County42.9
36Emmet County42.8
37Clayton County42.2
38Wright County41.5
39Appanoose County41.2
40Page County40.2
41Buena Vista County39.3
42Audubon County38.6
43Taylor County38.5
44Allamakee County38.2
45Mitchell County37.7
46Clay County36.4
47Dickinson County36.3
48Winneshiek County36.2
49Warren County36.1
50Jackson County36.1
51Madison County35.5
52Marion County34.4
53Cherokee County34.1
54Montgomery County33.7
55Van Buren County33.6
56Pocahontas County33.1
57Jones County32.7
58Kossuth County32.3
59Greene County31.8
60Chickasaw County31.7
61Harrison County31.3
62Poweshiek County31.3
63Henry County30.9
64Winnebago County30.7
65Mahaska County29.7
66Lucas County29.7
67Benton County28.8
68Hancock County28.8
69Boone County28.4
70Iowa County28.2
71Sac County27.3
72Butler County27.1
73Jefferson County27.1
74Guthrie County26.5
75Monona County25.1
76Bremer County24.6
77Humboldt County24.1
78Buchanan County24.1
79Decatur County23.6
80Shelby County22.8
81Wayne County22
82Franklin County22
83Keokuk County21.9
84Cedar County21.5
85Adams County20.4
86Lyon County19.2
87Mills County18.5
88Clarke County18.4
89Ida County18.4
90Louisa County17.5
91O'Brien County16.4
92Howard County15.6
93Palo Alto County15.5
94Fremont County15
95Osceola County14.9
96Ringgold County14.2
97Grundy County13.1
98Monroe County10.3
99Worth County9.9

About this ranking

FEMA's composite natural hazard risk score for a US county, from 0 to 100: the county's national percentile rank among all counties for risk, which combines expected annual losses from 18 natural hazards with social vulnerability and community resilience. Higher means more risk.

The period is the year of the National Risk Index edition (the December 2025 edition is 2025), not a year of events. FEMA rebuilds the index with new data and methods in each edition, so values from different editions are not a time series. The index is meant for nationwide comparison and planning, not as a local risk assessment.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset: National Risk Index Counties, National Risk Index Score Composite (RISK_SCORE). https://fema.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=39485e8035d446a5bff03259508ae355. Retrieved 2026-10-12. This product uses the FEMA National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2025). National Risk Index Counties, National Risk Index Score Composite (RISK_SCORE) (Counties in Iowa by national Risk Index score (FEMA), 2025) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://fema.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=39485e8035d446a5bff03259508ae355

MLA 9

National Risk Index Counties, National Risk Index Score Composite (RISK_SCORE), Counties in Iowa by national Risk Index score (FEMA), 2025. Federal Emergency Management Agency, 16 Dec. 2025, https://fema.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=39485e8035d446a5bff03259508ae355. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/national-risk-index-score/iowa-counties. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Federal Emergency Management Agency. 2025. National Risk Index Counties, National Risk Index Score Composite (RISK_SCORE). Counties in Iowa by national Risk Index score (FEMA), 2025. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://fema.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=39485e8035d446a5bff03259508ae355. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/national-risk-index-score/iowa-counties.

Harvard

Federal Emergency Management Agency (2025) National Risk Index Counties, National Risk Index Score Composite (RISK_SCORE), Counties in Iowa by national Risk Index score (FEMA), 2025 [Dataset]. Available at: https://fema.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=39485e8035d446a5bff03259508ae355, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/national-risk-index-score/iowa-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{federal_counties_in_iowa_by_2025,
  author = {{Federal Emergency Management Agency}},
  title = {{National Risk Index Counties, National Risk Index Score Composite (RISK\_SCORE): Counties in Iowa by national Risk Index score (FEMA), 2025}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://fema.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=39485e8035d446a5bff03259508ae355},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/national-risk-index-score/iowa-counties. Publisher attribution: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset: National Risk Index Counties, National Risk Index Score Composite (RISK\_SCORE). https://fema.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=39485e8035d446a5bff03259508ae355. Retrieved 2026-10-12. This product uses the FEMA National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Federal Emergency Management Agency
TI  - National Risk Index Counties, National Risk Index Score Composite (RISK_SCORE): Counties in Iowa by national Risk Index score (FEMA), 2025
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/16
PB  - Federal Emergency Management Agency
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://fema.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=39485e8035d446a5bff03259508ae355
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/national-risk-index-score/iowa-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/national-risk-index-score/iowa-counties.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset: National Risk Index Counties, National Risk Index Score Composite (RISK_SCORE). https://fema.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=39485e8035d446a5bff03259508ae355. Retrieved 2026-10-12. This product uses the FEMA National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
ER  -
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Rank Counties in Iowa by national Risk Index score (FEMA) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest national Risk Index score (FEMA)?

Polk County, with 92 in 2025, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Which county has the lowest national Risk Index score (FEMA)?

Worth County, with 9.9 in 2025.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Risk Index Counties, National Risk Index Score Composite (RISK_SCORE). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

National Risk Index score (FEMA): other rankings

Counties in Iowa: more rankings