Natural hazards · Nickerson

Nickerson, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Nickerson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1989. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Nickerson?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Nickerson to be higher than in 79% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding43%Tornadoes19%Hail9%Strong wind8%Cold waves8%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Nickerson faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Hail

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 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 Nickerson flood?

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

11paid claims since 1989

$70Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

Midwest Flooding: 2 claims, $14K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Nickerson isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Reno County.

Disasters that hit Nickerson

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NickersonDeclared for Reno County only

2019

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

$75K to the City of Nickerson for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$24K to the City of Nickerson for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $367 aid approved

2005

Severe Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, and Flooding

$43K to the City of Nickerson for repairs

Reno County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and fires.

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. Nickerson is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Nickerson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Nickerson. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.