Faulk County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Faulk County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Faulk County's highest-rated hazards are hail, wildfire, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 21% 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. Faulk County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1969, covering 6 disaster types including flood (8), biological (4), severe storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 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 | 67.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 6.8 | 6 | 0 | $271K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 10.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 15.6 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 21.1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 69.8 | 42 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 9.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 54.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 46.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 65.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 5.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 53.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 2.3 | 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
Faulk County ranks in the 36th 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 | 36th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 18th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 54th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 3rd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 79th | 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 | 51st | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 56th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 73.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 62 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 28 in 2016–20 vs 34 in 2021–25 (+21% — 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 Faulk County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Faulk County, South Dakota are hail, wildfire, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Faulk County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Faulk County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (8 declarations).
Has Faulk County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Faulk County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Flooding in 2023.
How does Faulk County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Walworth County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Hyde County, SD has the lowest (Very Low). Faulk County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Faulk County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Faulk 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. Faulk County's composite score of 8 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 8% of US counties.