Custer County Disaster Risk

Custer County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 42th 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.

Custer County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (85th percentile), flooding (38th percentile), earthquake (31th percentile), tornado (16th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire at the 85th 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.

Custer County's composite risk percentile is 42th, compared to the Montana state average of 33th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Custer County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Montana.

Yes, Custer County's wildfire risk is at the 85th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Custer County is at the 38th 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.

Custer County's composite risk score of 42th percentile is above the Montana state average of 33th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by wildfire exposure (85th percentile). Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.