Grant County, New Mexico
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Grant County, New Mexico has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 74% of US counties. It ranks 17th of 33 counties in New Mexico. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, wildfires and lightning. FEMA estimates about $21 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $741 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2025 (Trout Fire). Only 42 homes here carry federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Grant County
- 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.
- Clear dry plants and debris within 5 feet of the house.
- Get home insurance quotes early; availability varies by area.
- Go indoors when you hear thunder.
- Use surge protectors for electronics.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 83.7 | $15M | ||
| Wildfire | 96.9 | $5M | ||
| Lightning | 79.4 | $446K | ||
| Heat wave | 58.3 | $343K | ||
| Earthquake | 50.4 | $179K | ||
| Winter weather | 82.5 | $151K | ||
| Hail | 26.5 | $64K | ||
| Drought | 38.5 | $37K | ||
| Tornado | 6.9 | $22K | ||
| Strong wind | 3.8 | $14K | ||
| Ice storm | 16.5 | $7K | ||
| Landslide | 70.9 | $4K | ||
| Cold wave | 3.6 | $3K | ||
| Hurricane | 7.9 | $692 | ||
| Avalanche | 49.1 | $320 |
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 very high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Grant County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 11
New Mexico also had 42 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1957
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 174 storm reports in Grant County since 1957, with 2 deaths and 0 injuries and about $2.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on October 12, 1957.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 1957 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 19, 1979 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 15, 1967 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 13, 1989 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 31, 1979 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 2002 | Hail | Silver City | $1M |
| Oct 12, 1957 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Aug 19, 1979 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Aug 28, 2001 | Hail | Silver City | $160K |
| Jul 20, 1999 | Flash Flood | Separ | $100K |
| Jul 28, 2006 | Flash Flood | Silver City | $80K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 18, 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.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1929, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Grant County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1929, with top winds near 45 mph about 63 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Grant 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 Grant 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; 14,755 housing units.
Compare in New Mexico
All 33 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Bernalillo County | Inland flooding | |
| Doña Ana County | Inland flooding | |
| Santa Fe County | Inland flooding | |
| Sandoval County | Inland flooding | |
| San Juan County | Inland flooding | |
| Valencia County | Inland flooding | |
| Lea County | Inland flooding | |
| McKinley County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Luna County | 5 | |
| Sierra County | 11 | |
| Greenlee County, AZ | 11 | |
| Hidalgo County | 8 | |
| Catron County | 10 |
Common questions about Grant County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Grant County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Grant County, about $14.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Wildfire is second at $4.6 million.
How many federal disasters has Grant County had?
Grant County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Trout Fire in June 2025.
Is Grant County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 17th highest of 33 in New Mexico. 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 Grant County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Grant 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 Grant County had?
NOAA records list 7 tornadoes in Grant County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on October 12, 1957. The weather service has also logged 58 hail reports and 71 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Grant County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Grant County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1929, with winds near 45 mph.
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.