Lawrence County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lawrence County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Lawrence County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, winter weather, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 44% 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. Lawrence County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (5), flood (5), fire (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornado, And Flooding |
| 2008 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2007 | Fire | Box Elder Fire |
| 2005 | Fire | Sd Wildfire Camp Five |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 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 Moderate | 93.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 57.1 | 7 | 0 | $499K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 38.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 16.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 37.8 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 84.3 | 179 | 0 | $2.0M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 62.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 89.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 8.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 58.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 73 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 15.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 63.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 10.5 | — | — | — |
| 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
Lawrence County ranks in the 34th 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 | 34th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 32nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 17th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 31st | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 67th | 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 | 81st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 81st | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 60.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 189 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 121 in 2016–20 vs 68 in 2021–25 (-44% — 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 Lawrence County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Lawrence County, South Dakota are wildfire, winter weather, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Lawrence County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Lawrence County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Lawrence County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Lawrence County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Lawrence County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pennington County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Weston County, WY has the lowest (Very Low). Lawrence County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Lawrence County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Lawrence 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. Lawrence County's composite score of 49 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 49% of US counties.