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Natural hazards · Lawrence

Lawrence, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lawrence comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 65 claims here since 1981. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations
Expected damage

How exposed is Lawrence?

33
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lawrence to be higher than in 33% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding40%Tornadoes28%Cold waves7%Hail6%Strong wind6%Everything else13%
By hazard

What Lawrence faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

40% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

28% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Cold waves

7% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places
Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places
Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Flood insurance claims

Does Lawrence flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Lawrence, from FEMA’s records.

65paid claims since 1981
$545Kpaid to owners
2homes flooded more than once
19812026

Biggest named events

  • Midwest Flooding: 6 claims, $53K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Lawrence is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Douglas County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

5storm safe rooms built
3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Lawrence

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Lawrence itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Lawrence.

Brought FEMA money into LawrenceDeclared for Douglas County only
2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,landslides,and Mudslides

$576K to the City of Lawrence for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm

$13K to the City of Lawrence for repairs
2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$45K to the City of Lawrence for repairs
2006

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight Line Winds

$220K to the City of Lawrence for repairs
2005

Severe Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, and Flooding

$64K to the City of Lawrence for repairs
2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$15K to the City of Lawrence for repairs
2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

51 households applied for aid $109K aid approved
2002

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$102K to the City of Lawrence for repairs
Douglas County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Lawrence

Lawrence and the towns around it

Wakarusa: Low, mostly inland floodingGrant: Very high, mostly inland floodingKanwaka: Moderate, mostly inland floodingClinton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingEudora: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRural: Low, mostly inland floodingPalmyra: Low, mostly inland floodingWillow Springs: Moderate, mostly inland floodingReno: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLecompton: Low, mostly inland floodingSarcoxie: Low, mostly inland floodingMonmouth: Moderate, mostly inland floodingTecumseh: Low, mostly inland floodingMarion: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLexington: Low, mostly inland floodingSherman: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLawrence: Low, mostly inland flooding LawrenceWakarusaGrantKanwakaClintonEudora
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Grantmostly inland floodingVery high
Eudoramostly inland floodingModerate
Kanwakamostly inland floodingModerate
Clintonmostly inland floodingModerate
Wakarusamostly inland floodingLow
Lawrencemostly inland floodingLow
About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.
Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Lawrence covers 20 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lawrence’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lawrence. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Lawrence total about $31.0M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.

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