Denver County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Denver County has experienced 11 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Denver County's highest-rated hazards are hail, lightning, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 73% 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. Denver County has been designated in 11 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (4), biological (2), snowstorm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1973 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Snowmelt And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 11 total declarations since 1965.
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 | Very Low | 60.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 95.3 | 8 | 0 | $800K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 91 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 71.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 97.9 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very High | 99.9 | 127 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 96.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 91.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 12.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 92.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 21.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 87.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 73.6 | — | — | — |
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
Denver County ranks in the 56th 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 | 56th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 55th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 6th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 84th | 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 | 52nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 51st | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 2.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 139 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 51 in 2016–20 vs 88 in 2021–25 (+73% — 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 Denver County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Denver County, Colorado are hail, lightning, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Denver County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Denver County has received 11 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 declarations).
Has Denver County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Denver County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Denver County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jefferson County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Gilpin County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Denver County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Denver County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Denver 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. Denver County's composite score of 95 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 95% of US counties.