Hill County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hill County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1987, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Hill County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, winter weather, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 55% 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. Hill County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1987, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (5), flood (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2013 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 total declarations since 1987.
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 | 62.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 43.4 | 3 | 0 | $3.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 20.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 24.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 8.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 24.1 | 24 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 12.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 89.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 12.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 93.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 61.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 44.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 38.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 4.5 | — | — | — |
| 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
Hill County ranks in the 44th 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 | 44th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 37th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 32nd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 69th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 51st | 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 | 45th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 47.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 28 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 11 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (+55% — 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 Hill County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hill County, Montana are cold wave, winter weather, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Hill County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hill County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1987, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Hill County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Hill County include Severe Winter Storm And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1987.
How does Hill County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Blaine County, MT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Liberty County, MT has the lowest (Very Low). Hill County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Hill County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hill 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. Hill County's composite score of 50 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 50% of US counties.