Chippewa County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Chippewa County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Chippewa County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, heat wave, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 30 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. Chippewa County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including flood (10), severe storm (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 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 | 34.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 46.3 | 2 | 0 | $75K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 9.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 71.1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 43.4 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 65.7 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 53.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 73.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 48.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 68.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 14.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 62.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 42.1 | 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
Chippewa County ranks in the 65th 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 | 65th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 51st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 80th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 42nd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 68th | 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 | 24th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 31st | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 36.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 30 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 16 in 2021–25 (+14% — 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 Chippewa County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Chippewa County, Minnesota are winter weather, heat wave, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Chippewa County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Chippewa County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (10 declarations).
Has Chippewa County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Chippewa County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023.
How does Chippewa County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Kandiyohi County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Lac qui Parle County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Chippewa County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Chippewa County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Chippewa 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. Chippewa County's composite score of 37 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 37% of US counties.