Isanti County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Isanti County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Isanti County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, hail, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 29 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (9th 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. Isanti County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including flood (4), biological (2), severe storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, High Winds, Flooding |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
| 1972 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1965 | Flood | 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 | 65 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 44 | 1 | 0 | $5K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 2.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 37.8 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 50.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 60.5 | 21 | 0 | $50K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 50.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 25.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 27.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 37.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 42.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 32.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 35.8 | 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
Isanti County ranks in the 9th 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 | 9th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 21st | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 12th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 19th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 10th | 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 | 42nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 44th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 73.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 29 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 7 in 2016–20 vs 22 in 2021–25 .
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 Isanti County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Isanti County, Minnesota are wildfire, hail, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Isanti County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Isanti County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 declarations).
Has Isanti County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Isanti County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Isanti County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Anoka County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Kanabec County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Isanti County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Isanti County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Isanti 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. Isanti County's composite score of 27 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 27% of US counties.