North Dakota Natural Disaster Risk by County
FEMA National Risk Index rankings for all 53 counties
North Dakota spans 53 counties with an average FEMA National Risk Index score of 22.2 (low risk) and roughly $565M in combined expected annual loss statewide. No county in the state reaches the High risk band.
The highest-risk county is Burleigh County (score 85.1, medium), while Slope County (score 0.6) carries the lowest. Use the table below to compare every county by score, top hazard, and expected annual loss.
County Rankings
| # | County | Risk Score | Risk Rating | Top Hazard | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burleigh County | Medium | Winter Weather | $72M | |
| 2 | Cass County | Medium | Winter Weather | $82M | |
| 3 | Ward County | Low | Winter Weather | $37M | |
| 4 | Sioux County | Low | Cold Wave | $12M | |
| 5 | Grand Forks County | Low | Winter Weather | $25M | |
| 6 | Williams County | Low | Winter Weather | $25M | |
| 7 | Rolette County | Low | Wildfire | $11M | |
| 8 | Morton County | Low | Hail | $26M | |
| 9 | Stutsman County | Low | Winter Weather | $16M | |
| 10 | Barnes County | Low | Winter Weather | $13M | |
| 11 | Emmons County | Low | Wildfire | $12M | |
| 12 | McLean County | Low | Winter Weather | $16M | |
| 13 | Stark County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $14M | |
| 14 | Richland County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $13M | |
| 15 | McIntosh County | Very Low | Cold Wave | $8M | |
| 16 | Walsh County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $12M | |
| 17 | McKenzie County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $12M | |
| 18 | Benson County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $5M | |
| 19 | Mountrail County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $7M | |
| 20 | Pembina County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $6M | |
| 21 | Bottineau County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $7M | |
| 22 | Ramsey County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $9M | |
| 23 | Dickey County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $6M | |
| 24 | Grant County | Very Low | Hail | $5M | |
| 25 | Mercer County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $8M | |
| 26 | Ransom County | Very Low | Ice Storm | $6M | |
| 27 | Golden Valley County | Very Low | Cold Wave | $5M | |
| 28 | Cavalier County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $5M | |
| 29 | McHenry County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $7M | |
| 30 | Traill County | Very Low | Hail | $8M | |
| 31 | LaMoure County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $6M | |
| 32 | Dunn County | Very Low | Hail | $5M | |
| 33 | Logan County | Very Low | Cold Wave | $4M | |
| 34 | Hettinger County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $4M | |
| 35 | Wells County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $4M | |
| 36 | Nelson County | Very Low | Hail | $3M | |
| 37 | Foster County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $4M | |
| 38 | Sargent County | Very Low | Hail | $6M | |
| 39 | Steele County | Very Low | Strong Wind | $4M | |
| 40 | Divide County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $3M | |
| 41 | Griggs County | Very Low | Ice Storm | $3M | |
| 42 | Sheridan County | Very Low | Hail | $4M | |
| 43 | Adams County | Very Low | Hail | $2M | |
| 44 | Pierce County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $3M | |
| 45 | Kidder County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $3M | |
| 46 | Bowman County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $3M | |
| 47 | Towner County | Very Low | Ice Storm | $3M | |
| 48 | Eddy County | Very Low | Ice Storm | $3M | |
| 49 | Oliver County | Very Low | Wildfire | $3M | |
| 50 | Renville County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $2M | |
| 51 | Burke County | Very Low | Winter Weather | $2M | |
| 52 | Billings County | Very Low | Wildfire | $2M | |
| 53 | Slope County | Very Low | Wildfire | $1M |
All 53 North Dakota counties, ranked by FEMA National Risk Index score.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which North Dakota county has the highest natural disaster risk?
Burleigh County has the highest FEMA National Risk Index score in North Dakota at 85.1 (Medium), driven largely by winter weather.
What is the average natural disaster risk in North Dakota?
North Dakota counties average a National Risk Index score of 22.2 across 53 counties, with 0 rated High or Very High risk.
How much are expected annual losses across North Dakota?
FEMA estimates roughly $565M in combined expected annual loss from natural hazards across all North Dakota counties.