Edmunds County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Edmunds County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Edmunds County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, wildfire, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 82 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (3rd percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Edmunds County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1969, covering 6 disaster types including flood (8), severe storm (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 69.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 8 | 7 | 0 | $40K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 11.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 12.3 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 23.1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 56.7 | 65 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 24.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 74.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 51 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 55.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 4.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 47.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 3.5 | 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
Edmunds County ranks in the 3rd percentile (Very 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 | 3rd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 5th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 22nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 5th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 4th | 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 | 47th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 53rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 69.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 82 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 40 in 2016–20 vs 42 in 2021–25 (+5% — 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 Edmunds County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Edmunds County, South Dakota are winter weather, wildfire, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Edmunds County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Edmunds County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (8 declarations).
Has Edmunds County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Edmunds County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Edmunds County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Brown County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Campbell County, SD has the lowest (Very Low). Edmunds County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Edmunds County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Edmunds 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. Edmunds County's composite score of 7 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 7% of US counties.