Hill County, Montana
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Hill County, Montana has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 50% of US counties. It ranks 17th of 56 counties in Montana. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and winter weather. FEMA estimates about $13 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $809 per resident. Since 1986 it has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (severe winter storm and flooding). Only 9 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $56,000 on 17 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Hill County
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Keep a winter kit in the car.
- Have food, water and medicine for several days at home.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 93.7 | $8M | ||
| Inland flooding | 43.4 | $4M | ||
| Winter weather | 89.2 | $309K | ||
| Lightning | 61.5 | $284K | ||
| Wildfire | 62.8 | $83K | ||
| Drought | 44.6 | $79K | ||
| Strong wind | 12.4 | $78K | ||
| Heat wave | 24.7 | $76K | ||
| Hail | 24.1 | $71K | ||
| Tornado | 8.3 | $39K | ||
| Earthquake | 20.5 | $24K | ||
| Ice storm | 12.9 | $6K | ||
| Landslide | 38.7 | $478 | ||
| Avalanche | 4.5 | $2 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively high and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Hill County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 11
Montana also had 36 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1955
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 353 storm reports in Hill County since 1955, with 0 deaths and 1 injury and about $5.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on May 25, 1980.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25, 1980 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 16, 1995 | F1 | Havre | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 3, 1992 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 6, 1986 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 16, 1993 | F0 | Kremlin | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 12, 2023 | Flood | Laredo | $3M |
| May 7, 2024 | Flood | Rocky Boy | $1M |
| Jun 22, 1994 | Hail | Gildford | $550K |
| May 25, 1980 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jun 27, 1998 | Flash Flood | Havre | $233K |
| Jun 20, 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Havre | $200K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 29, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Flood insurance in Hill County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Hill County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 7,234 housing units.
Compare in Montana
All 56 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Yellowstone County | Inland flooding | |
| Gallatin County | Earthquake | |
| Missoula County | Inland flooding | |
| Flathead County | Inland flooding | |
| Cascade County | Inland flooding | |
| Lewis and Clark County | Cold wave | |
| Ravalli County | Wildfire | |
| Silver Bow County | Cold wave |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Blaine County | 11 | |
| Chouteau County | 8 | |
| Liberty County | 8 |
Common questions about Hill County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Hill County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Hill County, about $7.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $4.4 million.
How many federal disasters has Hill County had?
Hill County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1986, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm and Flooding in July 2024.
Is Hill County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 17th highest of 56 in Montana. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Hill County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Hill County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Hill County had?
NOAA records list 7 tornadoes in Hill County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on May 25, 1980. The weather service has also logged 112 hail reports and 8 floods here.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.