Stanley County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Stanley County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Stanley County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, winter weather, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Very Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 29% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (5th 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. Stanley County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1976, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (5), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Blizzard Conditions |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 total declarations since 1976.
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 | 60.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 20 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 4 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 12.3 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 10.9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 10.7 | 41 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 9.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 48.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 31.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 19.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 3.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 30.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 29.8 | 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
Stanley County ranks in the 5th 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 | 5th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 1st | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 6th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 32nd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 32nd | 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 | 63rd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 66th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 54.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 60 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 35 in 2016–20 vs 25 in 2021–25 (-29% — 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 Stanley County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Stanley County, South Dakota are wildfire, winter weather, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Stanley County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Stanley County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Stanley County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Stanley County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm in 2023.
How does Stanley County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Dewey County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Jones County, SD has the lowest (Very Low). Stanley County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Stanley County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Stanley 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. Stanley County's composite score of 5 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 5% of US counties.