Clay County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Clay County has experienced 29 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Clay County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, cold wave, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 59% 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. Clay County has been designated in 29 declarations since 1966, covering 5 disaster types including flood (15), severe storm (10), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 29 total declarations since 1966.
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 | 66 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 82.4 | 11 | 0 | $113K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 14.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 38.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 62 | 8 | 0 | $25K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 80.5 | 43 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 78.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 95.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 50.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 85.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 30.4 | 1 | 0 | $250K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 49.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 47.3 | 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
Clay County ranks in the 44th 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 | 44th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 25th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 24th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 43rd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 88th | 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 | 41st | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 43rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 31.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 65 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 46 in 2016–20 vs 19 in 2021–25 (-59% — 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 Clay County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Clay County, Minnesota are winter weather, cold wave, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Clay County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Clay County has received 29 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (15 declarations).
Has Clay County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Clay County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023.
How does Clay County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Cass County, ND has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Wilkin County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Clay County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Clay County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Clay 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. Clay County's composite score of 74 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 74% of US counties.