Haakon County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Haakon County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Haakon County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, cold wave, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 47% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (24th 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. Haakon County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1976, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (7), biological (4), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2009 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 total declarations since 1976.
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 | 68.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 22 | 11 | 0 | $100K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 7.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 11.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 8.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 20.4 | 60 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 27.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 45.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 33.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 59 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 4.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 34.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 27.6 | 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
Haakon County ranks in the 24th 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 | 24th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 11th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 27th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 27th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 66th | 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 | 66th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 67th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 75.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 72 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 47 in 2016–20 vs 25 in 2021–25 (-47% — frequency decreasing).
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 Haakon County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Haakon County, South Dakota are wildfire, cold wave, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Haakon County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Haakon County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Haakon County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Haakon County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022.
How does Haakon County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Meade County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Jones County, SD has the lowest (Very Low). Haakon County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Haakon County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Haakon 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. Haakon County's composite score of 10 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 10% of US counties.