Kandiyohi County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Kandiyohi County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Kandiyohi County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, hail, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 23% 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. Kandiyohi County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (8), flood (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 Winter Storms |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, High Winds, Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 50 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 52.2 | 2 | 0 | $250K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 16 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 57.5 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 58.4 | 10 | 0 | $750K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 82.3 | 38 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 86.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 71.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 62.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 45.9 | 1 | 0 | $20K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 62.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 59.2 | 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
Kandiyohi County ranks in the 54th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 54th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 28th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 77th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 57th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 69th | 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 | 28th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 30th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 43.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 55 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 31 in 2016–20 vs 24 in 2021–25 (-23% — 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 Kandiyohi County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota are strong wind, hail, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Kandiyohi County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Kandiyohi County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (8 declarations).
Has Kandiyohi County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Kandiyohi County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022.
How does Kandiyohi County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Stearns County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Pope County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Kandiyohi County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Kandiyohi County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Kandiyohi 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. Kandiyohi County's composite score of 51 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 51% of US counties.