Montana natural disaster risk
Montana ranks #9 of 51 from the lowest population-weighted county-score mean in our state comparison. Its highest hazard-score means are winter weather, wildfire, cold wave.
RelocateMath computes these state means by weighting FEMA county scores by population. A mean of county percentiles is not a national state percentile or an official FEMA state rating.
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
Find your county's risk in Montana
All 56 county rows with a FEMA score are available below, initially ordered by population.
| County | Population | Risk score | FEMA rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowstone County | 168,957 | 83.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| Gallatin County | 124,074 | 81.0 | Relatively Moderate |
| Missoula County | 120,672 | 77.0 | Relatively Low |
| Flathead County | 110,695 | 86.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| Cascade County | 84,606 | 83.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| Lewis and Clark County | 73,464 | 71.2 | Relatively Low |
| Ravalli County | 46,727 | 78.5 | Relatively Low |
| Silver Bow County | 35,785 | 38.0 | Very Low |
| Lake County | 32,561 | 67.7 | Relatively Low |
| Lincoln County | 21,175 | 64.3 | Relatively Low |
| Park County | 17,710 | 66.3 | Relatively Low |
| Hill County | 16,155 | 50.4 | Relatively Low |
| Glacier County | 13,637 | 51.5 | Relatively Low |
| Sanders County | 13,285 | 47.4 | Relatively Low |
| Big Horn County | 12,891 | 57.2 | Relatively Low |
| Jefferson County | 12,774 | 21.6 | Very Low |
| Custer County | 11,961 | 42.1 | Very Low |
| Fergus County | 11,687 | 45.1 | Relatively Low |
| Richland County | 11,235 | 52.7 | Relatively Low |
| Carbon County | 11,116 | 59.8 | Relatively Low |
| Roosevelt County | 10,526 | 54.5 | Relatively Low |
| Beaverhead County | 9,713 | 42.9 | Relatively Low |
| Deer Lodge County | 9,597 | 17.6 | Very Low |
| Madison County | 9,223 | 41.0 | Very Low |
| Stillwater County | 9,182 | 16.8 | Very Low |
| Dawson County | 8,827 | 63.8 | Relatively Low |
| Rosebud County | 8,165 | 49.7 | Relatively Low |
| Broadwater County | 7,668 | 17.7 | Very Low |
| Valley County | 7,519 | 35.9 | Very Low |
| Powell County | 7,053 | 10.0 | Very Low |
| Blaine County | 6,949 | 45.9 | Relatively Low |
| Teton County | 6,353 | 19.0 | Very Low |
| Pondera County | 6,035 | 24.6 | Very Low |
| Chouteau County | 5,906 | 39.5 | Very Low |
| Musselshell County | 5,152 | 17.0 | Very Low |
| Toole County | 5,061 | 13.0 | Very Low |
| Mineral County | 4,959 | 7.3 | Very Low |
| Phillips County | 4,221 | 34.5 | Very Low |
| Sweet Grass County | 3,720 | 8.1 | Very Low |
| Sheridan County | 3,669 | 15.1 | Very Low |
| Granite County | 3,462 | 9.4 | Very Low |
| Fallon County | 2,760 | 5.4 | Very Low |
| Judith Basin County | 2,071 | 5.5 | Very Low |
| Wheatland County | 2,056 | 3.5 | Very Low |
| Meagher County | 2,007 | 2.8 | Very Low |
| Liberty County | 1,952 | 6.3 | Very Low |
| Powder River County | 1,815 | 4.0 | Very Low |
| McCone County | 1,670 | 5.2 | Very Low |
| Daniels County | 1,494 | 1.8 | Very Low |
| Carter County | 1,308 | 1.7 | Very Low |
| Prairie County | 1,250 | 4.2 | Very Low |
| Wibaux County | 1,193 | 11.1 | Very Low |
| Garfield County | 1,094 | 2.5 | Very Low |
| Golden Valley County | 899 | 1.0 | Very Low |
| Treasure County | 732 | 0.5 | Very Low |
| Petroleum County | 447 | 1.3 | Very Low |
The county rows show FEMA's own county percentile scores and rating categories; the state figures above are our weighted means. County data cannot establish a property's safety. Expected loss is modeled annual loss per resident, not a premium quote. The insurance figure is what owners with a mortgage reported paying in 2024 (Census American Community Survey), not a current quote. For a specific home, check the address on FEMA's flood map and get insurance quotes before you commit. Our guide explains how to check natural disaster risk before you move.
Lowest FEMA county risk scores in Montana
- Silver Bow County 38.0
- Lincoln County 64.3
- Lake County 67.7
- Lewis and Clark County 71.2
- Missoula County 77.0
- Ravalli County 78.5
- Gallatin County 81.0
- Cascade County 83.1
Cities in Montana
- Billings, MT county-score mean 79
Frequently asked questions
Is Montana safe from natural disasters?
Montana's population-weighted county-score mean is 67.1 out of 100 (high county-score mean), #9 of 51 from the lowest mean in our state comparison. A state average cannot show whether an individual home is safe. No residents in this dataset live in counties FEMA rates relatively high or very high.
What natural disasters happen in Montana?
The highest population-weighted county hazard-score means in Montana are winter weather, wildfire, cold wave (means 89, 88, 88 on the 0–100 county-score scale). These are not national state percentiles.
Which counties have the lowest modeled risk scores in Montana?
Among counties with at least 20,000 people, the lowest FEMA county risk scores are in Silver Bow County, Lincoln County, Lake County. Conditions vary within each county; check an individual address separately.