Ramsey County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ramsey County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Ramsey County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, hail, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 132% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (71st 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. Ramsey County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (9), severe storm (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2000 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 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 | 52.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 93.8 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 28.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 98.2 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 98.7 | 1 | 0 | $750K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 99 | 62 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 90.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 92.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 65.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 73.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 12.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 98.5 | 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
Ramsey County ranks in the 71st 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 | 71st | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 43rd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 53rd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 79th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 95th | 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 | 26th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 29th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 9.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 73 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 22 in 2016–20 vs 51 in 2021–25 (+132% — frequency increasing).
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 Ramsey County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ramsey County, Minnesota are cold wave, hail, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Ramsey County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ramsey County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (9 declarations).
Has Ramsey County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Ramsey County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Ramsey County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Hennepin County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and St. Croix County, WI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Ramsey County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Ramsey County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ramsey 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. Ramsey County's composite score of 95 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 95% of US counties.