Clayton, IA
Clayton, IA's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Out of every US place USFS scores, Clayton lands at the 26th percentile for wildfire risk to structures — close to the middle of USFS's national wildfire-risk range — a figure built from its 96 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
USFS's separate burn-probability score — fire likelihood alone, before counting what's built there — puts Clayton at the 26th percentile, close to its 26th-percentile risk score.
Where Clayton's buildings actually sit
Direct exposure dominates in Clayton: 90.6% of its 96 buildings, versus 0% Indirect and 9.4% Minimal. Clearing space around a structure changes the outcome here more than any single building-material swap.
Clayton against the rest of the country
Clayton scores 26th nationally and 40th within Iowa — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Clayton ranks 23,414 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 29,228 by building count (1 is largest). Within Iowa alone, it ranks 613 of 1,017 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Iowa on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Clayton
Clayton's moderate wildfire rating (26th percentile) isn't the kind of score driving the carrier pullback making news in the highest-risk Western markets — but a standard homeowners quote is still worth comparing on its own terms.
What would actually reduce this score
Because Direct exposure dominates in Clayton (90.6%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Clayton's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 96 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Clayton. The exposure-zones guide covers what Clayton's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.