Bennett County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bennett County has experienced 15 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Bennett County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, winter weather, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 29% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (81st 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. Bennett County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1976, covering 7 disaster types including flood (4), biological (3), severe storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2023 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornado, And Flooding |
| 2009 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow |
| 2008 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 total declarations since 1976.
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 | 87.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 4.3 | 5 | 0 | $1.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 17.6 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 15.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 18.5 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 40.7 | 53 | 0 | $35K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 19.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 56.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 26.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 42.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 25.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 54.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 19.2 | 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
Bennett County ranks in the 81st percentile (High) 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 | 81st | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 94th | High |
| Household characteristics | 38th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 94th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 53rd | Moderate |
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 | 92nd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 93rd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 72.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 65 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 38 in 2016–20 vs 27 in 2021–25 (-29% — 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 Bennett County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bennett County, South Dakota are wildfire, winter weather, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Bennett County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bennett County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 declarations).
Has Bennett County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Bennett County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1976.
How does Bennett County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Oglala Lakota County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Mellette County, SD has the lowest (Very Low). Bennett County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Bennett County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bennett 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. Bennett County's composite score of 6 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 6% of US counties.