Jones County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Jones County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Jones County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, winter weather, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 59 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (20th 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. Jones County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1976, covering 7 disaster types including biological (11), severe storm (5), flood (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 total declarations since 1976.
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 | 70.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 4.9 | 13 | 0 | $54K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 9.4 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 6.3 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 11.9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 13.5 | 38 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 13.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 39.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 31.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 22.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 2.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 35.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 11.1 | 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
Jones County ranks in the 20th 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 | 20th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 13th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 41st | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 55th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 23rd | 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 | 64th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 67th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 72.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 59 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 30 in 2016–20 vs 29 in 2021–25 (-3% — 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 Jones County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Jones County, South Dakota are wildfire, winter weather, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Jones County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Jones County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is biological (11 declarations).
Has Jones County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Jones County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm in 2023.
How does Jones County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lyman County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Stanley County, SD has the lowest (Very Low). Jones County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Jones County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Jones 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. Jones County's composite score of 1 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 1% of US counties.