Beadle County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Beadle County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Beadle County's highest-rated hazards are drought, winter weather, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 18% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (73rd percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Beadle County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1969, covering 6 disaster types including flood (8), severe storm (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 total declarations since 1969.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 74.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 45.6 | 39 | 0 | $167K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 26.3 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 45.2 | 17 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 64.6 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 77.3 | 52 | 0 | $3K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 45.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 83.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 79.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 77.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 11.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 88.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 25.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Beadle County ranks in the 73rd percentile (Moderate) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 73rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 40th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 80th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 63rd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 93rd | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 48th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 48th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 51.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 111 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 61 in 2016–20 vs 50 in 2021–25 (-18% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Beadle County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Beadle County, South Dakota are drought, winter weather, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Beadle County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Beadle County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is flood (8 declarations).
Has Beadle County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Beadle County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022.
How does Beadle County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Spink County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Sanborn County, SD has the lowest (Very Low). Beadle County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Beadle County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Beadle County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Beadle County's composite score of 47 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 47% of US counties.