Hettinger County, ND
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hettinger County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Hettinger County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, hail, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 71% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (15th 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. Hettinger County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1966, covering 5 disaster types including flood (9), severe storm (6), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Blizzard Conditions |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1966.
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 | 55.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 9.7 | 3 | 2 | $80K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 22.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 8.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 25.4 | 2 | 0 | $1.8M |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 80 | 57 | 0 | $370K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 24.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 84.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 70.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 54.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 10.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 25.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 11.5 | 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
Hettinger County ranks in the 15th 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 | 15th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 33rd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 22nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 20th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 9th | Very low |
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 | 24th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 26th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 59.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 62 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 48 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (-71% — 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 Hettinger County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hettinger County, North Dakota are winter weather, hail, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Hettinger County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hettinger County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (9 declarations).
Has Hettinger County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Hettinger County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Flooding in 2023.
How does Hettinger County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Morton County, ND has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Slope County, ND has the lowest (Very Low). Hettinger County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Hettinger County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hettinger 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. Hettinger County's composite score of 9 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 9% of US counties.