Otero County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Otero County has experienced 9 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.
Otero County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, drought, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 20% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (95th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Otero County has been designated in 9 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including biological (2), snowstorm (1), coastal storm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1999 | Severe Storm | Co-Flooding 4/30/99 |
| 1997 | Flood | Severe Storms, Heavy Rain, Flash Floods, Flooding, Mudslides |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1965 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 | 75.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 60.1 | 19 | 1 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 35.4 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 27.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 33.3 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 77.8 | 47 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 62.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 75.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 9.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 63.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 92 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 89.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 9.2 | 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
Otero County ranks in the 95th percentile (High) 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 | 95th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 85th | High |
| Household characteristics | 96th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 87th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 92nd | High |
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 | 73rd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 73rd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 30.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 72 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 40 in 2016–20 vs 32 in 2021–25 (-20% — 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 Otero County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Otero County, Colorado are lightning, drought, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Otero County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Otero County has received 9 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Otero County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Otero County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Otero County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pueblo County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Kiowa County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Otero County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Otero County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Otero 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. Otero County's composite score of 51 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 51% of US counties.