Hennepin County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hennepin County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Hennepin County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, tornado, and hail, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 149 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Hennepin County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including flood (7), severe storm (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 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 Tornadoes |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2007 | Other | Bridge Collapse |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 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 | Relatively Low | 74.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 98 | 17 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 49.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 99.1 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 99.6 | 3 | 0 | $501K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very High | 99.6 | 122 | 0 | $15.1M |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 98.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 97.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 79.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 90.3 | 1 | 0 | $15K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 40.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 82.4 | 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
Hennepin County ranks in the 41st 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 | 41st | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 20th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 20th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 70th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 81st | 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 | 30th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 32nd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 13.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 149 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 77 in 2016–20 vs 72 in 2021–25 (-6% — 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 Hennepin County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hennepin County, Minnesota are cold wave, tornado, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Hennepin County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hennepin County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (7 declarations).
Has Hennepin County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Hennepin County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Hennepin County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Ramsey County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Carver County, MN has the lowest (Relatively Low). Hennepin County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Hennepin County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hennepin 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. Hennepin County's composite score of 98 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 98% of US counties.