FEMA Records
25
High volume
Minnesota · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Wilkin County, MN
25 FEMA disaster declarations (1966-2023), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low. Most common hazard: Flood.
- 25
- FEMA declarations
- 20
- Major disasters
- 5
- NRI risk · Very Low
- Flood
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Wilkin County. Its 25 FEMA declarations are 41% above the Minnesota county mean and exceed the count for 71% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it safer than 5%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Safer than 5%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Very Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 25
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 495
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
How does Wilkin County compare?
Wilkin County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
25 Top 29% higher than 71% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-03
Wilkin County's FEMA Risk Index score
FEMA National Risk Index composite score vs. the Minnesota county average
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Wilkin County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $2.3M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively Moderate), while Winter Weather carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Moderate). EAL and risk score use different inputs; they need not agree.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release) - Expected Annual Loss vs composite risk rating by hazard.
What does Wilkin County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
The NFIP claims register shows a middle-volume loss record here: 495 paid claims, totaling $7.4M. PlainHazard uses 50-499 claims for this descriptive band; FEMA does not publish it as a safety or coverage category. The $15.0K average describes payments on recorded claims only, leaving uninsured damage and properties without a claim outside the measure.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. Wilkin County's 25 federal records stand 41% above the Minnesota county mean of 17.7. That comparison describes how often federal action was recorded, including any Major Disaster, Emergency, and Fire Management entries shown on this page; it does not convert the count into future probability.
Declaration frequency
The FEMA register is busy by both local and national comparisons. It contains 25 entries for Wilkin County, including 20 Major Disaster records, 41% above the Minnesota county mean. Across the 57-year span, that works out to 0.4 declarations a year. Flood leads the file with 13 entries. Declaration type records the federal action taken, not every assistance program approved.
FEMA National Risk Index
FEMA's National Risk Index places this county in the low end of the national distribution, composite score 5.3/100 (Very Low). Expected Annual Loss is rated Very Low (roughly $4.7M in annualized losses). Two modifiers shape how that exposure becomes real-world harm here: social vulnerability (Very Low) and community resilience (Relatively High). Among the 18 modeled hazards, Winter Weather carries the county's highest rating, a mid-range Relatively Moderate. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 24 times per year here, based on 454 historical events on record.
69 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Wilkin County, MN · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) High
18/30
25 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.2x national county average)
County Disaster Density High
18/25
25 declarations (1.4x state county average of 18)
Major Disaster Share Very High
20/25
20 of 25 declarations are major disasters (80%)
Hazard Diversity High
13/20
5 different disaster types declared in Wilkin County
Historical Declaration Activity
Activity Band
High
vs. Minnesota Avg
+41%
State avg: 17.7
vs. National Avg
+21%
National avg: 20.7
Avg Per Year
0.4
Over 57 years
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Wilkin County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
80%
Mostly major
NRI risk score
5
Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Wilkin County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | an average of 24 times per year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | an average of 3.9 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | an average of 16 times per year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | an average of 2.7 times per year |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 15 years |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 1,036 years |
| Tornado | Very Low | roughly once every 2 years |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | roughly once every 5 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | an average of 1.8 times per year |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 1.7 modeled event-days per year |
| Lightning | Very Low | an average of 32 times per year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 4,739 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Flood 13
Severe Storm 8
Biological 2
Hurricane 1
Drought 1
What Flood declarations mean here
Flood is the most frequent declaration type on Wilkin County's record, 52% of its declarations. Federal flood declarations cover two mechanisms that behave very differently: riverine flooding, which builds over days as a watershed drains and is usually forecast well in advance, and flash flooding, which can arrive in under an hour from rainfall that fell somewhere upstream.
Flood is also the one hazard class where a second federal dataset exists for the same events. The National Flood Insurance Program records what was actually paid on insured losses, so it measures a narrower thing than the declaration count: uninsured damage, and flooding outside mapped special flood hazard areas, never enters it. Reading the two together is more informative than either alone.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Major Disaster - 20 80.0%
of all 25 declarations
Emergency - 5 20.0%
of all 25 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2019 | 1 | |
| 2013 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 2 | |
| 2009 | 2 | |
| 2006 | 2 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 1 | |
| 1997 | 2 | |
| 1995 | 1 | |
| 1989 | 1 | |
| 1979 | 1 | |
Show 5 earlier declaration years
| 1978 | 1 | |
| 1976 | 1 | |
| 1975 | 1 | |
| 1969 | 1 | |
| 1966 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 25 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 25 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4722 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2023-07-19 |
| 4658 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2022-07-08 |
| 4531 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-04-07 |
| 3453 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4442 | SEVERE WINTER STORM, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2019-06-12 |
| 4131 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2013-07-25 |
| 1982 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2011-05-10 |
| 1900 | FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2010-04-19 |
| 3310 | FLOODING | EM | Flood | 2010-03-19 |
| 1830 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2009-04-09 |
| 3304 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | EM | Severe Storm | 2009-03-26 |
| 1648 | FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2006-06-05 |
| 1622 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | DR | Severe Storm | 2006-01-04 |
| 3242 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-13 |
| 1370 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS, FLOODING, AND TORNADOES | DR | Flood | 2001-05-16 |
| 1175 | SEVERE FLOODING, HIGH WINDS,SEVERE STORMS | DR | Flood | 1997-04-08 |
| 1158 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS | DR | Severe Storm | 1997-01-16 |
| 1064 | SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS, WINDS, FLOODING, TORNADOES, AND HEAT | DR | Severe Storm | 1995-08-18 |
| 824 | FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1989-05-08 |
| 582 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1979-04-30 |
Show 5 earlier declaration records
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 555 | STORMS, ICE JAMS, SNOWMELT & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1978-04-22 |
| 3013 | DROUGHT | EM | Drought | 1976-06-17 |
| 476 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES & FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 1975-07-17 |
| 255 | FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1969-04-18 |
| 215 | FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1966-03-22 |
Storm Events in Minnesota
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Wilkin County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 4,420 | 13 | 25 | $68.2M |
| Hail | 4,203 | 0 | 0 | $34.5M |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 1,789 | 7 | 4 | $55.0K |
| Winter Storm | 1,695 | 2 | 17 | $10.0M |
| Heavy Snow | 1,190 | 9 | 14 | $1.0M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
495
Total Paid
$7.4M
Avg Per Claim
$15.0K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Very Low
Score: 5.3/100
Expected Annual Loss
Very Low
$4.7M/year
Social Vulnerability
Very Low
Community Resilience
Relatively High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Winter Weather Relatively Moderate
Hail Relatively Low
Cold Wave Relatively Low
Strong Wind Relatively Low
Landslide Very Low
Wildfire Very Low
Tornado Very Low
Ice Storm Very Low
Riverine Flooding Very Low
Heat Wave Very Low
Lightning Very Low
Earthquake Very Low
Drought No Rating
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Winter Weather
Winter Weather in the model means the accumulation of snow and cold that disrupts rather than destroys: road closures, roof loads, burst pipes and lost heating. Its costs land heavily on transport and on households least able to absorb an interruption.
Worth noting for Wilkin County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Winter Weather carries the highest modeled rating (Relatively Moderate), while the county's declaration history is led by Flood. That is not a contradiction, the two measure genuinely different things. Declarations record federal ACTION, which requires damage costly enough to exceed state and local capacity; the Risk Index models EXPECTED annual loss across all 18 hazards whether or not any declaration ever followed. A hazard can be the county's largest modeled exposure and never once have driven a declaration.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Wilkin County's closest FEMA peer: Woodson County, KS
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Wilkin County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Wilkin County shows 25 FEMA declarations, led by Flood.
Similar Major-disaster share
Wilkin County: 20 of 25 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Wilkin County: NRI composite 5.3 (Very Low).
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Wilkin County - capture-dated entries only.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Wilkin County's NFIP claims file (495 claims) and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records - this guide separates them from modeled NRI risk.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Wilkin County?
The most common disaster type in Wilkin County is Flood, with 13 declarations. Other disaster types include Severe Storm (8), Biological (2), Hurricane (1).
How does Wilkin County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Minnesota average?
FEMA lists 25 declaration records for Wilkin County. That is 41% above the Minnesota county mean of 17.7. Its count is also 21% above the national county mean of 20.7. A larger declaration history records more federal actions; it is not a forecast of the county's next hazard.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Wilkin County received?
Wilkin County has received 20 major disaster declarations, representing 80% of all 25 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Wilkin County filed?
Wilkin County has 495 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $7.4M in payments, with an average of $15.0K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Wilkin County?
No. In Wilkin County, Winter Weather has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Moderate), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $2.3M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Wilkin County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Wilkin County was 1997, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1966 to 2023.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Wilkin County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Wilkin County, Minnesota has an overall risk score of 5.3 out of 100 (Very Low). The county's social vulnerability rating is Very Low and community resilience is Relatively High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Very Low, representing $4.7M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Wilkin County?
FEMA's NRI data points to Wilkin County as of the latest release is Winter Weather (risk rating: Relatively Moderate). Other significant hazards include Hail (Relatively Low) and Cold Wave (Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts winter weather here at an average of 24 times per year, drawn from 454 historical events on record. The underlying methodology weighs historical event frequency against exposed assets and community vulnerability.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
What this means for Wilkin County
Wilkin County, MN has 25 federal declaration records, 41% more than the Minnesota county mean of 18; its history sits in PlainHazard's high activity band.
- Within this above-state-average declaration file, major disaster leads with 20 of 25 records; the category describes past federal action, not the next likely hazard. Minnesota overview
- The state benchmark and national rank point the same way: this count tops the Minnesota mean and the totals for 71% of 3,266 U.S. counties. Most-disaster rankings
- Use the data guide to separate this mid-volume insurance-claims file from declaration counts and modeled NRI risk. Disaster-data guide
An above-average declaration count records past federal responses; it does not predict the next event. Current warnings come from the National Weather Service and local emergency officials.
PlainHazard derives this profile from FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries and National Risk Index data. The declaration comparison covers 3,266 U.S. counties and county equivalents in this database, refreshed as of 2026-08-03. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 - all federally-declared disasters for this county. fema.gov/openfema/disaster-declarations
- FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) - per-county per-hazard risk ratings and expected annual loss. hazards.fema.gov/nri
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database - state-level storm/severe-weather event records, 2015-2025. ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainHazard Editorial
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, the data & editorial changelog, or report a data error.