Freeborn County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Freeborn County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Freeborn County's highest-rated hazards are drought, strong wind, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 84% 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. Freeborn County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (8), severe storm (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 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 | 24.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 49.1 | 5 | 0 | $580K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 15.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 25.9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 79.6 | 21 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 78.6 | 25 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 78.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 25.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 63.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 17.1 | 1 | 0 | $3K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 93.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 45.5 | 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
Freeborn County ranks in the 50th 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 | 50th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 35th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 72nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 48th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 52nd | Moderate |
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 | 7th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 9th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 33.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 54 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 19 in 2016–20 vs 35 in 2021–25 (+84% — 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 Freeborn County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Freeborn County, Minnesota are drought, strong wind, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Freeborn County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Freeborn County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (8 declarations).
Has Freeborn County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Freeborn County include Severe Storms And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Freeborn County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Mower County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Worth County, IA has the lowest (Very Low). Freeborn County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Freeborn County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Freeborn 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. Freeborn County's composite score of 51 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 51% of US counties.