Hutchinson County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hutchinson County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Hutchinson County's highest-rated hazards are drought, winter weather, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 20% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (12th 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. Hutchinson County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1969, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (10), flood (9), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 69 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 35.2 | 64 | 0 | $2.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 25.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 24.5 | 21 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 65.1 | 2 | 0 | $100K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 74.1 | 58 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 44.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 76.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 72.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 67 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 14 | 1 | 0 | $90K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 98.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 37 | 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
Hutchinson County ranks in the 12th 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 | 12th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 5th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 45th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 23rd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 24th | 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 | 38th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 39th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 61.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 146 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 81 in 2016–20 vs 65 in 2021–25 (-20% — 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 Hutchinson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hutchinson County, South Dakota are drought, winter weather, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Hutchinson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hutchinson County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Hutchinson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Hutchinson County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Hutchinson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Yankton County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Douglas County, SD has the lowest (Very Low). Hutchinson County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Hutchinson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hutchinson 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. Hutchinson County's composite score of 48 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 48% of US counties.