Safest places to live in Missouri from natural disasters
The lowest natural-disaster risk in Missouri is in Atchison County, Audrain County, Bates County, where FEMA rates few or no severe perils. The most exposed county is Jackson County, driven by tornado. This page ranks every Missouri county by physical peril exposure, from official FEMA National Risk Index data.
Lowest-risk counties in Missouri
| County | Physical risk | Top severe peril |
|---|---|---|
| Atchison County | Low | none rated high |
| Audrain County | Low | none rated high |
| Bates County | Low | none rated high |
| Bollinger County | Low | none rated high |
| Caldwell County | Low | none rated high |
| Carroll County | Low | none rated high |
| Carter County | Low | none rated high |
| Cedar County | Low | none rated high |
Highest-risk counties in Missouri
| County | Physical risk | Driven by |
|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | High | tornado |
| St. Louis County | High | tornado |
| Boone County | Elevated | tornado |
| Clay County | Elevated | tornado |
| Greene County | Elevated | tornado |
Dominant perils in Missouri
Across Missouri, the perils most often rated Relatively High or higher by FEMA are tornado, earthquake. County rankings reflect physical exposure, not dollar value, so a county can rank low here even if it is densely developed. For a specific property, the flood zone and exact peril ratings matter more than the county summary.
Look up any Missouri address on the Safe Havens map, or read how Plattow scores risk and FEMA flood zones. See all states on the states index.