Sargent County, ND
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Sargent County has experienced 32 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Sargent County's highest-rated hazards are hail, ice storm, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 47% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (3rd 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. Sargent County has been designated in 32 declarations since 1966, covering 7 disaster types including flood (15), severe storm (11), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2023 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2020 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 32 total declarations since 1966.
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 | 41.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 2.7 | 1 | 0 | $50K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 2.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 10.2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 16.9 | 2 | 0 | $50K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 77.4 | 24 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 58.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 61.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 68.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 61 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 17 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 15.2 | 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
Sargent County ranks in the 3rd 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 | 3rd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 0th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 23rd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 25th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 11th | Very 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 | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 53rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 69.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 29 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 19 in 2016–20 vs 10 in 2021–25 (-47% — 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 Sargent County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Sargent County, North Dakota are hail, ice storm, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Sargent County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Sargent County has received 32 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (15 declarations).
Has Sargent County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Sargent County include Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1966.
How does Sargent County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Roberts County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and LaMoure County, ND has the lowest (Very Low). Sargent County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Sargent County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Sargent 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. Sargent County's composite score of 7 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 7% of US counties.