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Davison County, South Dakota

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
18th of 66highest risk in South Dakota
$13Mexpected losses a year
13federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Davison County, South Dakota has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 61% of US counties. It ranks 18th of 66 counties in South Dakota. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $13 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $664 per resident. Since 1976 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding). Only 44 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.0 million on 30 claims here, including $1.2 million for floods in 2024.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Davison County

$4.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$3.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 years.
  • 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 8 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow35.9
$5M
TornadoModerate75.5
$3M
Cold waveModerate67.1
$2M
Strong windModerate64.6
$900K
HailLow66.2
$519K
Ice stormModerate80.4
$458K
DroughtModerate66.6
$457K
Winter weatherHigh87.5
$366K
WildfireLow68.4
$169K
LightningLow28.5
$112K
Heat waveVery Low25.5
$110K
EarthquakeVery Low28.4
$69K
LandslideVery Low27.2
$257

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 very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Davison County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood5
Severe Storm5
Drought1
Snowstorm1
Coastal Storm1

Most recent

Aug 15, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 18, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 7, 2019Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 22, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 20, 2005Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Apr 7, 1997Severe Flooding, Sever Winter Storms,Heavy Rains High WindsMajor disaster
Jan 10, 1997Severe Winter Storms and Blizzard ConditionsMajor disaster
Jan 5, 1996Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
May 26, 1995FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 13
Jul 19, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 19, 1984Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency

South Dakota also had 46 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 473 storm reports in Davison County since 1953, with 1 death and 53 injuries and about $66.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 21, 1962.

24tornadoes
166hail reports, largest 4 inches
186damaging thunderstorm winds
91floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 21, 1962F3–32 / 0
May 14, 1962F3–2 / 0
Jun 20, 1968F3–0 / 0
Jun 24, 2003F2Mt Vernon0 / 0
May 27, 1954F2–1 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 1, 2019FloodMetzgerville$20M
Sep 12, 2019FloodMetzgerville$15M
Jun 20, 2024FloodMetzgerville$10M
Aug 5, 2000Thunderstorm WindMitchell$8M
Jul 24, 2002HailMitchell$3M
May 21, 1962Tornado–$3M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 2, 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 Davison County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (44 policies)
17.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2 millionpaid on 30 flood claims since 1978
2024costliest year, with $1.2 million paid

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 Davison County

$205,800median home value (South Dakota $257,400, US $332,700)
1972median year homes were built (South Dakota 1980, US 1980)
64%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
5.2%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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; 9,579 housing units.

Compare in South Dakota

All 66 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Minnehaha CountyModerateTornado
Pennington CountyLowInland flooding
Lincoln CountyLowTornado
Brown CountyLowCold wave
Brookings CountyLowInland flooding
Meade CountyLowInland flooding
Codington CountyLowInland flooding
Lawrence CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Hutchinson CountyLow22
Hanson CountyVery Low23
Douglas CountyVery Low16
Aurora CountyVery Low21
Sanborn CountyVery Low20

Common questions about Davison County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Davison County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Davison County, about $4.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $3.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Davison County had?

Davison County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1976, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in August 2024.

Is Davison County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 18th 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 Davison County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Davison 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 Davison County had?

NOAA records list 24 tornadoes in Davison County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 21, 1962. The weather service has also logged 166 hail reports and 91 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.