Codington County, South Dakota
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Codington County, South Dakota has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 62% of US counties. It ranks 7th of 66 counties in South Dakota. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $25 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $879 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (19 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2023 (flooding). About 1 in 53 homes here carry federal flood insurance (243 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $6.6 million on 472 claims here, including $4.5 million for floods in 1997.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Codington 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 65.2 | $12M | ||
| Cold wave | 82.3 | $5M | ||
| Tornado | 77.0 | $4M | ||
| Ice storm | 94.8 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 64.1 | $908K | ||
| Hail | 70.2 | $616K | ||
| Winter weather | 93.1 | $594K | ||
| Heat wave | 38.5 | $234K | ||
| Wildfire | 71.0 | $205K | ||
| Drought | 36.6 | $54K | ||
| Earthquake | 21.7 | $36K | ||
| Lightning | 7.7 | $27K | ||
| Landslide | 24.7 | $209 |
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 low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Codington County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 21
South Dakota also had 46 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1951
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 528 storm reports in Codington County since 1951, with 0 deaths and 6 injuries and about $16.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on July 18, 1983.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 18, 1983 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 12, 1984 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 19, 1979 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 6, 1962 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 20, 1951 | F2 | – | 4 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2019 | Flood | Wallace | $7M |
| Jun 19, 1979 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jul 18, 1983 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 12, 1984 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jun 21, 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Watertown Arpt | $574K |
| Apr 1, 2019 | Flood | Wallace | $472K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 8, 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 Codington 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 Codington 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; 13,533 housing units.
Compare in South Dakota
All 66 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Minnehaha County | Tornado | |
| Pennington County | Inland flooding | |
| Lincoln County | Tornado | |
| Brown County | Cold wave | |
| Brookings County | Inland flooding | |
| Meade County | Inland flooding | |
| Codington County | Inland flooding | |
| Lawrence County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Grant County | 20 | |
| Hamlin County | 20 | |
| Day County | 23 | |
| Deuel County | 22 | |
| Clark County | 20 |
Common questions about Codington County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Codington County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Codington County, about $12 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $4.7 million.
How many federal disasters has Codington County had?
Codington County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 19 major disasters. The most recent was Flooding in July 2023.
Is Codington County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 7th highest of 66 in South Dakota. 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 Codington County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 53 homes in Codington 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 Codington County had?
NOAA records list 35 tornadoes in Codington County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on July 18, 1983. The weather service has also logged 226 hail reports and 86 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.