Natural Disaster Risk in Hickory County

Natural Hazard Profile: Hickory County, Missouri

Hickory County is located in the United States in Missouri, home to roughly 8,271 residents. The county experiences hot summers, cold winters, and collision of multiple air masses, with year-round severe weather including tornadoes, ice storms, and floods shaping the natural hazards faced by its communities. FEMA assesses risk at this county level, providing the baseline for every city and ZIP code within its boundaries.

FEMA rates Hickory County's composite natural disaster risk at 5.5 out of 10 — moderate risk. Freezing rain and ice accretion are the primary winter hazard, with glaze ice events capable of downing power lines, snapping tree limbs, and making roads impassable for days. Residents should also account for wildfire and heat risk in their preparedness planning.

Hickory County's risk score, slightly below the 5.9/10 state average and above the U.S. national average of 4.5/10. Of the 18 hazard categories tracked by FEMA for Hickory County, the highest-scoring are ice storm, wildfire, and heat. These scores reflect county-level data and represent the baseline risk that all communities in the county share.

Hickory County's moderate risk profile means that while catastrophic events are less frequent, they do occur. Standard homeowners insurance typically covers many common hazards here, but confirming that ice storm exposure is adequately protected is a worthwhile step for property owners.