Chouteau County Disaster Risk

Chouteau County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 39th percentile nationally out of 3,144 counties. This composite score reflects the county's overall exposure to natural hazards including floods, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes, weighted by expected annual loss and social vulnerability.

Chouteau County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (73th percentile), flooding (50th percentile), earthquake (27th percentile), tornado (12th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire at the 73th percentile nationally. These scores are derived from FEMA's National Risk Index, which analyzes expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience for each hazard type.

Chouteau County's composite risk percentile is 39th, compared to the Montana state average of 33th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Chouteau County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Montana.

Yes, Chouteau County's wildfire risk is at the 73th percentile nationally. This is above the national median. For flooding specifically, Chouteau County is at the 50th percentile.

FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) calculates risk scores for 18 natural hazard types across all U.S. counties and census tracts. The composite score combines Expected Annual Loss (estimated dollar losses from each hazard), Social Vulnerability (demographic factors affecting disaster impact), and Community Resilience (ability to recover). Percentile scores rank each county against all 3,144 U.S. counties, and risk ratings range from Very Low to Very High.

Chouteau County's composite risk score of 39th percentile is above the Montana state average of 33th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by wildfire exposure (73th percentile), along with flooding risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.