Sanborn County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Sanborn County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Sanborn County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, drought, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 37% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (17th 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. Sanborn County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1969, covering 6 disaster types including flood (10), severe storm (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 67 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 6.2 | 60 | 2 | $494K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 12.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 12.9 | 18 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 26.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 40.6 | 17 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 12.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 37.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 53 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 26.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 1.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 63.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 17.7 | 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
Sanborn County ranks in the 17th 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 | 17th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 15th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 28th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 13th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 37th | Low |
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 | 54th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 56th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 81.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 96 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 59 in 2016–20 vs 37 in 2021–25 (-37% — 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 Sanborn County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Sanborn County, South Dakota are wildfire, drought, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Sanborn County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Sanborn County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (10 declarations).
Has Sanborn County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Sanborn County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Sanborn County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Beadle County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Miner County, SD has the lowest (Very Low). Sanborn County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Sanborn County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Sanborn 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. Sanborn County's composite score of 4 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 4% of US counties.