Highest climate-risk ZIP codes in Iowa
Top 25 highest FEMA NRI climate-risk counties in Iowa (one representative ZIP per county). #1 is 50023 (Ankeny) at score 92.0. Compare hazard exposure on US5.
FEMA’s National Risk Index is published at the county level on US5, so every ZIP in the same county shares the same composite score. This board shows one representative ZIP per county (the most populous code in that county) ranked by NRI — a relative signal of natural-hazard exposure for planning and insurance context.
Highest county scores on this board: Polk County (50023) at 92.0; Johnson County (52240) at 87.4; Linn County (52402) at 86.7.
Open a representative ZIP for flood, wildfire, and hurricane component scores, plus a plain-language risk summary.
Open any ZIP for a full demographics, income, and housing profile, or return to the Iowa state page for the complete ZIP table.
Ranked counties (representative ZIP)
FEMA NRI is county-level data. Each row shows the most populous ZIP in that county as a representative entry.
| # | ZIP | City | County | NRI risk score | Population | Income | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50023 | Ankeny | Polk County | 92.0 | 45,286 | $113,914 | $327,200 |
| 2 | 52240 | Iowa City | Johnson County | 87.4 | 36,046 | $55,189 | $241,100 |
| 3 | 52402 | Cedar Rapids | Linn County | 86.7 | 43,076 | $71,319 | $188,700 |
| 4 | 52722 | Bettendorf | Scott County | 84.9 | 40,878 | $105,763 | $300,800 |
| 5 | 51106 | Sioux City | Woodbury County | 83.3 | 28,381 | $74,486 | $186,300 |
| 6 | 51503 | Council Bluffs | Pottawattamie County | 80.4 | 37,411 | $76,064 | $252,600 |
| 7 | 50613 | Cedar Falls | Black Hawk County | 76.6 | 43,680 | $75,642 | $258,300 |
| 8 | 50401 | Mason City | Cerro Gordo County | 69.6 | 28,818 | $63,807 | $134,100 |
| 9 | 50010 | Ames | Story County | 68.8 | 33,428 | $65,701 | $243,200 |
| 10 | 52501 | Ottumwa | Wapello County | 65.3 | 30,341 | $59,091 | $109,600 |
| 11 | 52732 | Clinton | Clinton County | 64.8 | 26,004 | $58,380 | $118,700 |
| 12 | 52001 | Dubuque | Dubuque County | 63.6 | 43,064 | $60,882 | $168,900 |
| 13 | 52627 | Fort Madison | Lee County | 62.9 | 12,585 | $54,864 | $111,700 |
| 14 | 50158 | Marshalltown | Marshall County | 62.5 | 31,163 | $71,212 | $130,500 |
| 15 | 51442 | Denison | Crawford County | 60.8 | 9,586 | $64,399 | $146,200 |
| 16 | 50266 | West Des Moines | Dallas County | 60.6 | 36,770 | $85,282 | $325,100 |
| 17 | 50022 | Atlantic | Cass County | 60.1 | 8,472 | $61,347 | $145,600 |
| 18 | 50501 | Fort Dodge | Webster County | 60.0 | 28,633 | $66,130 | $139,700 |
| 19 | 50126 | Iowa Falls | Hardin County | 58.4 | 6,362 | $61,711 | $118,100 |
| 20 | 52761 | Muscatine | Muscatine County | 57.8 | 29,800 | $63,924 | $164,500 |
| 21 | 51401 | Carroll | Carroll County | 57.6 | 12,113 | $64,458 | $192,100 |
| 22 | 52601 | Burlington | Des Moines County | 55.8 | 27,465 | $57,123 | $125,500 |
| 23 | 51250 | Sioux Center | Sioux County | 52.4 | 9,887 | $90,238 | $286,000 |
| 24 | 50662 | Oelwein | Fayette County | 50.9 | 6,497 | $49,145 | $108,200 |
| 25 | 52537 | Bloomfield | Davis County | 50.3 | 7,012 | $82,713 | $153,400 |
Frequently asked questions
Which areas in Iowa have the highest climate or disaster risk?
FEMA NRI scores are county-level on US5. Polk County ranks near the top at 92.0 (representative ZIP 50023). Higher scores indicate greater relative natural-hazard exposure.
How does US5 rank ZIP codes in Iowa?
We rank one representative ZIP per county (highest population in the county) by FEMA NRI composite score from high to low. NRI is county-level data, so all ZIPs in a county share the same score.
Where can I explore all ZIP codes in Iowa?
Visit the Iowa state page for the full ZIP table, demographics summary, and sortable income/housing columns.