Natural Disaster Risk in Ransom County

Natural Hazard Profile: Ransom County, North Dakota

Ransom County is located in the United States in North Dakota, home to roughly 5,692 residents. The county experiences extremely cold winters and short, warm summers with prairie wind exposure, with severe blizzards and spring flooding shaping the natural hazards faced by its communities. FEMA assesses risk at this county level, providing the baseline for every city and ZIP code within its boundaries.

FEMA rates Ransom County's composite natural disaster risk at 4.8 out of 10 — moderate risk. Freezing rain and ice accretion are the primary winter hazard, with glaze ice events capable of downing power lines, snapping tree limbs, and making roads impassable for days. Residents should also account for winter and cold wave risk in their preparedness planning.

Ransom County's risk score, near the 4.7/10 state average and near the U.S. national average of 4.5/10. Of the 18 hazard categories tracked by FEMA for Ransom County, the highest-scoring are ice storm, winter, and cold wave. These scores reflect county-level data and represent the baseline risk that all communities in the county share.

Ransom County's moderate risk profile means that while catastrophic events are less frequent, they do occur. Standard homeowners insurance typically covers many common hazards here, but confirming that ice storm exposure is adequately protected is a worthwhile step for property owners.