Doña Ana County, NM
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Doña Ana County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Doña Ana County's highest-rated hazards are drought, inland flooding, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 59 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (99th 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. Doña Ana County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1972, covering 5 disaster types including flood (3), biological (2), fire (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000 | Fire | Severe Forest Fire |
| 2000 | Fire | Severe Fire Threats |
| 1999 | Severe Storm | Severe Ice Storms, Flooding And Heavy Rains |
| 1972 | 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 | 86.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 98.4 | 34 | 0 | $1.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 91.2 | 3 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 94.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 20.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 36.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 96.1 | 24 | 0 | $500K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 58 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 97.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 64.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 97.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 99.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 40.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 38.6 | — | — | — |
| 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
Doña Ana County ranks in the 99th 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 | 99th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 97th | High |
| Household characteristics | 91st | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 97th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 96th | 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 | 40th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 40th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 37.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 59 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 28 in 2016–20 vs 31 in 2021–25 (+11% — 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 Doña Ana County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Doña Ana County, New Mexico are drought, inland flooding, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Doña Ana County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Doña Ana County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is flood (3 declarations).
Has Doña Ana County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Doña Ana County include Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Doña Ana County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, El Paso County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Hudspeth County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Doña Ana County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Doña Ana County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Doña Ana 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. Doña Ana County's composite score of 96 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 96% of US counties.