Corson County Disaster Risk

Corson County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 38th 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.

Corson County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (77th percentile), tornado (24th percentile), flooding (16th percentile), earthquake (7th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire at the 77th 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.

Corson County's composite risk percentile is 38th, compared to the South Dakota state average of 27th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Corson County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in South Dakota.

Yes, Corson County's wildfire risk is at the 77th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Corson County is at the 16th 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.

Corson County's composite risk score of 38th percentile is above the South Dakota state average of 27th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by wildfire exposure (77th percentile). Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.