Stearns County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Stearns County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Stearns County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, hail, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 43% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Stearns County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including flood (5), severe storm (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1997 | Flood | Severe Flooding, High Winds,Severe Storms |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 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 | Relatively Low | 76.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 90.9 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 24.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 74.6 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 93 | 11 | 0 | $2.6M |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 96.5 | 80 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 97.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 92.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 72.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 86.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 57.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 67.2 | 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
Stearns County ranks in the 46th percentile (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 | 46th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 27th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 30th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 47th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 85th | 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 | 33rd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 33rd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 37.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 97 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 40 in 2016–20 vs 57 in 2021–25 (+43% — frequency increasing).
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 Stearns County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Stearns County, Minnesota are strong wind, hail, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Stearns County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Stearns County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is flood (5 declarations).
Has Stearns County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Stearns County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022.
How does Stearns County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Morrison County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Pope County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Stearns County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Stearns County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Stearns 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. Stearns County's composite score of 88 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 88% of US counties.