Harding County, NM
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Harding County has experienced 8 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Harding County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, drought, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 15% 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. Harding County has been designated in 8 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including biological (2), flood (2), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000 | Fire | Severe Fire Threats |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snow Melt & Flooding |
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 | 67.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 2.8 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 5.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 5.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 3.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 4.9 | 51 | 0 | $81K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 2.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 19.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 0 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 5.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 4.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 22.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 20.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 7.9 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
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
Harding County ranks in the 66th 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 | 66th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 55th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 67th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 90th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 55th | 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 | 82nd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 82nd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 85.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 56 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 26 in 2016–20 vs 30 in 2021–25 (+15% — 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 Harding County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Harding County, New Mexico are wildfire, drought, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Harding County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Harding County has received 8 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Harding County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Harding County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Harding County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, San Miguel County, NM has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Union County, NM has the lowest (Very Low). Harding County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Harding County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Harding 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. Harding County's composite score of 0 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 0% of US counties.