Broomfield County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Broomfield County has experienced 6 federally declared disasters since 2003, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Broomfield County's highest-rated hazards are hail, lightning, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 25% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (4th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Broomfield County has been designated in 6 declarations since 2003, covering 4 disaster types including biological (2), snowstorm (2), flood (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Snowstorm | Snow |
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 | 72.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 33.1 | 1 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 48 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 30.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 61.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 91.4 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 56.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 74.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 40.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 50.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 86.2 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Drought | Very Low | 15.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 6.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 48.9 | — | — | — |
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
Broomfield County ranks in the 4th percentile (Very 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 | 4th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 4th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 6th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 61st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 11th | Very low |
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 | 69th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 68th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 9.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 21 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 12 in 2016–20 vs 9 in 2021–25 (-25% — 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 Broomfield County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Broomfield County, Colorado are hail, lightning, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Broomfield County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Broomfield County has received 6 federal disaster declarations since 2003, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Broomfield County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Broomfield County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Broomfield County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Denver County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Gilpin County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Broomfield County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Broomfield County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Broomfield 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. Broomfield County's composite score of 35 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 35% of US counties.