Costilla County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Costilla County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Costilla County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, wildfire, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (87th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Costilla County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1970, covering 6 disaster types including fire (3), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Fire | Spring Creek Fire |
| 2006 | Fire | Malo Vega Fire |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973 | Flood | Flooding & Landslides |
| 1970 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
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 | 73.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 17.2 | 8 | 0 | $150K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 36.5 | 40 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 5.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 7.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 18.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 2.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 27 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 23.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 33.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 70.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 78.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 29.5 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
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
Costilla County ranks in the 87th percentile (High) 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 | 87th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 85th | High |
| Household characteristics | 100th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 95th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 25th | 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 | 47th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 59th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 76.6% | — |
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 Costilla County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Costilla County, Colorado are landslide, wildfire, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Costilla County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Costilla County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is fire (3 declarations).
Has Costilla County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Costilla County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Costilla County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Taos County, NM has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Custer County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Costilla County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Costilla County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Costilla 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. Costilla County's composite score of 7 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 7% of US counties.