Virginia coastal flooding risk

46 counties scored 1 rated Very High

Accomack County has the highest coastal flooding risk in Virginia, scoring 96.8 out of 100 — rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.

# County NRI score Rating
1 Accomack County 96.8 Very High
2 Norfolk 82.4 Relatively High
3 Chesapeake 80.6 Relatively Moderate
4 Hampton 80.4 Relatively Moderate
5 Mathews County 80 Relatively Moderate
6 Northumberland County 68.4 Relatively Moderate
7 Virginia Beach 67.4 Relatively Moderate
8 Gloucester County 66.6 Relatively Moderate
9 Westmoreland County 64.8 Relatively Moderate
10 Portsmouth 64.2 Relatively Moderate
11 Poquoson 62.4 Relatively Moderate
12 Isle of Wight County 61.8 Relatively Moderate
13 Suffolk 61 Relatively Moderate
14 Lancaster County 60.6 Relatively Moderate
15 Newport News 60.2 Relatively Low
16 Middlesex County 58 Relatively Low
17 York County 57.4 Relatively Low
18 Northampton County 57.2 Relatively Low
19 Alexandria 56 Relatively Low
20 Essex County 55.6 Relatively Low
21 James City County 53.2 Relatively Low
22 New Kent County 52.8 Relatively Low
23 Fairfax County 52.6 Relatively Low
24 King and Queen County 51.6 Relatively Low
25 King William County 50.6 Relatively Low
26 Prince William County 48.8 Relatively Low
27 Hopewell 48.6 Relatively Low
28 Richmond County 48.2 Relatively Low
29 Stafford County 47.4 Relatively Low
30 Charles City County 45.2 Relatively Low
31 Chesterfield County 44.8 Relatively Low
32 King George County 43.6 Relatively Low
33 Colonial Heights 43 Very Low
34 Surry County 42 Very Low
35 Arlington County 41.6 Very Low
36 Prince George County 40 Very Low
37 Richmond 39.8 Very Low
38 Williamsburg 37.4 Very Low
39 Petersburg 36.2 Very Low
40 Henrico County 35.8 Very Low
41 Caroline County 26.2 Very Low
42 Hanover County 25.2 Very Low
43 Southampton County 21 Very Low
44 Spotsylvania County 17.6 Very Low
45 Fredericksburg 17 Very Low
46 Franklin 16.6 Very Low

Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.

Coastal Flooding risk nationally:

Other hazard risks in Virginia:

Frequently asked questions

What is the highest coastal flooding risk county in Virginia?

Accomack County, VA has the highest coastal flooding risk in Virginia, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 96.8 out of 100 (rated "Very High").

How many counties in Virginia are rated Very High for coastal flooding risk?

1 of 46 scored Virginia counties are rated "Very High" for coastal flooding risk by FEMA's National Risk Index.

What causes coastal flooding risk in Virginia?

Coastal flooding scores cover storm surge, wave action, and tidal flooding along the Gulf, Atlantic, and Pacific coasts, and Great Lakes shoreline. Inland flooding is scored separately. Counties with "Not Applicable" ratings have no significant coastal exposure. Coastal flood events are reported at zone level in NOAA Storm Events and are not included in county-level counts.