Davison County Disaster Risk

Davison 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.

Davison County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: tornado (76th percentile), wildfire (68th percentile), flooding (36th percentile), earthquake (28th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is tornado at the 76th 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.

Davison County's composite risk percentile is 39th, compared to the South Dakota state average of 27th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Davison County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in South Dakota.

Yes, Davison County's tornado risk is at the 76th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Davison County is at the 36th 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.

Davison County's composite risk score of 39th percentile is above the South Dakota state average of 27th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by tornado exposure (76th percentile), along with wildfire risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.