Cook County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cook County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Cook County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, lightning, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 23 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (8th 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. Cook County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1976, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (4), flood (2), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1999 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Winds, And Flooding |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
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 | 79.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 19.8 | 10 | 0 | $30K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 14.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 8.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 2.9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 3.1 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 9.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 52.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 11.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 61.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 76.3 | 1 | 0 | $20K |
| Drought | Very Low | 22.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 38.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Cook County ranks in the 8th 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 | 8th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 5th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 13th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 44th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 23rd | 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 | 87th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 89th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 85.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 23 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 7 in 2016–20 vs 16 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 Cook County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cook County, Minnesota are wildfire, lightning, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Cook County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cook County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (4 declarations).
Has Cook County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cook County include Severe Storms And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1976.
How does Cook County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Bayfield County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Ontonagon County, MI has the lowest (Very Low). Cook County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Cook County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cook 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. Cook County's composite score of 11 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 11% of US counties.