Wright County, Minnesota Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · MN
LowComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 68th
Wright County faces low composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 68.4, 68th national percentile), driven primarily by strong wind and hail exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $51M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
Wright County carries a low composite natural disaster risk, with a National Risk Index score of 68.4 out of 100 — placing it in the 68th national percentile and below the national average for natural-disaster risk. The score blends Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across all 18 FEMA hazard types.
Most of Wright County's expected losses come from strong wind (damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes) at High risk — $6M in expected annual loss and about 4.23 events per year; hail (ice stones from severe thunderstorms that damage property and crops) at Medium risk — $3M in expected annual loss and about 6.31 events per year; and tornado (violently rotating columns of air capable of catastrophic local damage) at Medium risk — $8M in expected annual loss and about 0.51 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $51M in expected annual loss for a population of 141K.
Beyond physical exposure, Wright County has a very low social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a very high community resilience rating (its capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters). A less vulnerable population paired with strong resilience helps the community absorb and recover from events.
The federal record bears this out: Wright County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including 8 for flood events and 5 for severe storm events. The most recent was Covid-19 Pandemic (biological), declared in April 2020.
Among 87 Minnesota counties, Wright County ranks #18 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Strong Wind | High | 4.23 / yr | $6M |
| Hail | Medium | 6.31 / yr | $3M |
| Tornado | Medium | 0.51 / yr | $8M |
| Riverine Flood | Medium | 0.71 / yr | $30M |
| Winter Weather | Medium | 17.11 / yr | $269K |
| Heat Wave | Low | 4.16 / yr | $2M |
| Lightning | Medium | 35.37 / yr | $698K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $169K |
| Ice Storm | Low | 0.54 / yr | $250K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 0.14 / yr | $5K |
| Cold Wave | Low | 10.42 / yr | $2M |
| Drought | Low | 5.93 / yr | $60K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $30K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Coastal Flood | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Disaster History
Wright County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1965, most recently Covid-19 Pandemic in April 2020. Most frequent causes: Flood (8), Severe Storm (5), Biological (2).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| April 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| July 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| May 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| March 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| September 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| June 2002 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes |
| May 2001 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| August 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, High Winds, Flooding |
| April 1997 | Flood | Severe Flooding, High Winds,Severe Storms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Wright County?
Wright County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 68.4 out of 100, placing it in the Low category and the 68th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Wright County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Strong Wind (High, $6M EAL), Hail (Medium, $3M EAL), Tornado (Medium, $8M EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Wright County compare to other Minnesota counties?
Wright County ranks #18 of 87 Minnesota counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a low rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Wright County had?
FEMA records 17 federal disaster declarations for Wright County since 1965, most often 8 for flood events and 5 for severe storm events. The most recent was Covid-19 Pandemic, declared in April 2020.
What does Expected Annual Loss (EAL) mean?
EAL is FEMA's estimate of average annual dollar losses from natural hazards, calculated from historical event data and exposure models. Wright County's $51M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.