Koochiching County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Koochiching County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Koochiching County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, landslide, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Koochiching County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1970, covering 5 disaster types including flood (7), biological (4), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2018 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes |
| 2001 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 total declarations since 1970.
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 | 33.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 52.3 | 3 | 0 | $2.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 37.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 5.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 43.2 | 14 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 8.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 44.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 72.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 23.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 41.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 70.7 | 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
Koochiching County ranks in the 31st percentile (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 | 31st | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 20th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 51st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 25th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 53rd | 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 | 40th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 41st | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 60.5% | — |
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 Koochiching County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Koochiching County, Minnesota are cold wave, landslide, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Koochiching County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Koochiching County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is flood (7 declarations).
Has Koochiching County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Koochiching County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2022.
How does Koochiching County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, St. Louis County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Lake of the Woods County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Koochiching County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Koochiching County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Koochiching 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. Koochiching County's composite score of 32 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 32% of US counties.