Wilkin County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wilkin County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Wilkin County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, hail, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 75% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (16th 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. Wilkin County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1966, covering 5 disaster types including flood (13), severe storm (8), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 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 | 19.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 12.6 | 5 | 0 | $105K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 3.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 11.3 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 19.2 | 6 | 0 | $50K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 53.1 | 22 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 28 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 60.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 13.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 40.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 3.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 21.4 | 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
Wilkin County ranks in the 16th 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 | 16th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 16th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 7th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 22nd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 49th | 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 | 24th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 29th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 37.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 35 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 28 in 2016–20 vs 7 in 2021–25 (-75% — 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 Wilkin County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wilkin County, Minnesota are winter weather, hail, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Wilkin County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wilkin County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (13 declarations).
Has Wilkin County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Wilkin County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023.
How does Wilkin County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Otter Tail County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Grant County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Wilkin County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Wilkin County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wilkin 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. Wilkin County's composite score of 5 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 5% of US counties.