Benson County, ND
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Benson County has experienced 34 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Benson County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, cold wave, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 71% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (74th 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. Benson County has been designated in 34 declarations since 1969, covering 6 disaster types including flood (17), severe storm (12), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 34 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 | 80.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 6.7 | 3 | 0 | $351K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 2.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 11.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 20.9 | 6 | 0 | $270K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 69.8 | 54 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 69 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 88.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 82 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 8.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 33.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 47.5 | 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
Benson County ranks in the 74th 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 | 74th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 41st | Low |
| Household characteristics | 86th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 92nd | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 81st | 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 | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 50th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 74.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 63 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 49 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (-71% — 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 Benson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Benson County, North Dakota are winter weather, cold wave, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Benson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Benson County has received 34 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is flood (17 declarations).
Has Benson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Benson County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Flooding in 2021.
How does Benson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Ramsey County, ND has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Eddy County, ND has the lowest (Very Low). Benson County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Benson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Benson 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. Benson County's composite score of 24 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 24% of US counties.