Socorro County, NM
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Socorro County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 2000, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Socorro County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, lightning, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 52 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (90th 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. Socorro County has been designated in 12 declarations since 2000, covering 5 disaster types including fire (4), severe storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Extreme Cold Temperatures |
| 2010 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Fire | Nm-Bernardo Fire-6-18-2004 |
| 2000 | Fire | Severe Forest Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 total declarations since 2000.
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 | 87 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 76.2 | 24 | 0 | $1.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 76 | 12 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 27.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 7.1 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 83.9 | 23 | 0 | $100K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 8.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 62.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 51.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 21.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 84.2 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 72.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 38.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 48.4 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 44.6 | — | — | — |
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
Socorro County ranks in the 90th 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 | 90th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 72nd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 79th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 95th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 96th | 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 | 77th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 79th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 62.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 52 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 27 in 2016–20 vs 25 in 2021–25 (-7% — relatively stable).
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 Socorro County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Socorro County, New Mexico are wildfire, lightning, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Socorro County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Socorro County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is fire (4 declarations).
Has Socorro County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Socorro County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Socorro County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Bernalillo County, NM has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Catron County, NM has the lowest (Very Low). Socorro County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Socorro County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Socorro 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. Socorro County's composite score of 62 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 62% of US counties.