Kittson County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Kittson County has experienced 32 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Kittson County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, drought, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 62% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (10th 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. Kittson County has been designated in 32 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (18), severe storm (7), biological (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 32 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 | Relatively Low | 74.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 13.5 | 10 | 0 | $177K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 0.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 5.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 13.5 | 1 | 0 | $5K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 27.2 | 32 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 7.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 45.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 40.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 33.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 6.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 54.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 21.6 | 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
Kittson County ranks in the 10th 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 | 10th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 2nd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 11th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 10th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 61st | 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 | 90th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 89th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 59.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 44 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 32 in 2016–20 vs 12 in 2021–25 (-62% — 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 Kittson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Kittson County, Minnesota are wildfire, drought, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Kittson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Kittson County has received 32 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (18 declarations).
Has Kittson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Kittson County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023.
How does Kittson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Grand Forks County, ND has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Pembina County, ND has the lowest (Very Low). Kittson County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Kittson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Kittson 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. Kittson County's composite score of 5 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 5% of US counties.