Dakota County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Dakota County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Dakota County's highest-rated hazards are hail, wildfire, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 42 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (73rd 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. Dakota County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1967, covering 5 disaster types including flood (7), severe storm (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2024 | 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 |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1967.
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 | 78.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 33.8 | 15 | 0 | $2.7M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 14.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 60.2 | 18 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 75.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 87 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 50.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 51.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 64.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 29 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 25.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 74.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 74 | 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
Dakota County ranks in the 73rd 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 | 73rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 51st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 62nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 89th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 85th | 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 | 69th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 74th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 22.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 42 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 22 in 2016–20 vs 20 in 2021–25 (-9% — relatively stable).
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 Dakota County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Dakota County, Nebraska are hail, wildfire, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Dakota County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Dakota County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is flood (7 declarations).
Has Dakota County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Dakota County include Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Dakota County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Woodbury County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Dixon County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Dakota County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Dakota County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Dakota 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. Dakota County's composite score of 36 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 36% of US counties.