Cotton County, OK
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cotton County has experienced 37 federally declared disasters since 1971, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Cotton County's highest-rated hazards are drought, wildfire, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 419% 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. Cotton County has been designated in 37 declarations since 1971, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (18), severe ice storm (7), tornado (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 37 total declarations since 1971.
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 | 67 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 6.5 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 29.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 33.6 | 59 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 28.3 | 6 | 0 | $67K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 21.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 24 | 33 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 31.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 17.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 45.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 14.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 2.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 73.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 20.7 | 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
Cotton County ranks in the 39th 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 | 39th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 50th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 33rd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 62nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 21st | 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 | 83rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 84th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 51.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 99 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 83 in 2021–25 (+419% — 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 Cotton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cotton County, Oklahoma are drought, wildfire, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Cotton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cotton County has received 37 federal disaster declarations since 1971, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (18 declarations).
Has Cotton County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cotton County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1971.
How does Cotton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Comanche County, OK has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Tillman County, OK has the lowest (Very Low). Cotton County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Cotton County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cotton 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. Cotton County's composite score of 5 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 5% of US counties.