Hall County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hall County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Hall County's highest-rated hazards are hail, winter weather, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 73 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (73rd 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. Hall County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1967, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (7), flood (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2018 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1967.
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 | 50.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 70.1 | 9 | 0 | $1.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 30.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 17.1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 89.9 | 4 | 0 | $480K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 98 | 58 | 0 | $19.8M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 91.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 95.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 86.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 31.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 64.9 | 1 | 0 | $5K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 91.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 6.4 | 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
Hall County ranks in the 73rd 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 | 73rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 65th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 88th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 74th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 50th | 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 | 31st | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 36th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 14.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 73 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 37 in 2016–20 vs 36 in 2021–25 (-3% — 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 Hall County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hall County, Nebraska are hail, winter weather, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Hall County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hall County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Hall County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Hall County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds in 2021.
How does Hall County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Buffalo County, NE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Howard County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Hall County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Hall County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hall 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. Hall County's composite score of 74 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 74% of US counties.