Blue Earth County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Blue Earth County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Blue Earth County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, winter weather, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 26% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Blue Earth County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including flood (13), severe storm (3), tornado (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2018 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 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 | Very Low | 31.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 65.9 | 9 | 0 | $835K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 15.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 69.3 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 77.1 | 6 | 0 | $50K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 85.3 | 42 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 95.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 93.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 50.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 93.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 22.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 78.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 67.8 | 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
Blue Earth County ranks in the 38th 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 | 38th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 28th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 4th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 40th | Low |
| 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 | 11th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 13th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 31.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 61 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 27 in 2016–20 vs 34 in 2021–25 (+26% — frequency increasing).
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 Blue Earth County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Blue Earth County, Minnesota are strong wind, winter weather, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Blue Earth County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Blue Earth County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (13 declarations).
Has Blue Earth County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Blue Earth County include Severe Storms And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Blue Earth County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Faribault County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Le Sueur County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Blue Earth County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Blue Earth County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Blue Earth 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. Blue Earth County's composite score of 72 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 72% of US counties.