Benton County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Benton County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Benton County's highest-rated hazards are hail, strong wind, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 23 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Benton County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including flood (6), severe storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1997 | Flood | Severe Flooding, High Winds,Severe Storms |
| 1978 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Hail & Tornadoes |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
| 1972 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 67.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 61.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 6.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 46 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 67.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 79.5 | 18 | 0 | $350K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 77.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 44.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 42 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 65.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 49.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 57.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 26.2 | 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
Benton County ranks in the 37th percentile (Low) 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 | 37th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 14th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 41st | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 37th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 83rd | 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 | 45th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 46th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 40.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 23 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 8 in 2016–20 vs 15 in 2021–25 .
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 Benton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Benton County, Minnesota are hail, strong wind, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Benton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Benton County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (6 declarations).
Has Benton County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Benton County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Benton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Stearns County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Isanti County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Benton County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Benton County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Benton 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. Benton County's composite score of 51 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 51% of US counties.