Scott County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Scott County has experienced 16 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.
Scott County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, tornado, and hail, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 54 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (10th 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. Scott County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (9), biological (2), severe storm (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 |
| 1998 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 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 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 73 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 9.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.1 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 89 | 5 | 0 | $400K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 88.8 | 40 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 98.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 64.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 55.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 51.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 32.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 63.6 | 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
Scott County ranks in the 10th 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 | 10th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 2nd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 44th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 56th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 18th | 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 | 23rd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 25th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 36.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 54 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 29 in 2016–20 vs 25 in 2021–25 (-14% — 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 Scott County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Scott County, Minnesota are strong wind, tornado, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Scott County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Scott County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (9 declarations).
Has Scott County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Scott County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Scott 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 Le Sueur County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Scott County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Scott County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Scott 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. Scott County's composite score of 77 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 77% of US counties.