Arizona drought risk
Maricopa County has the highest drought risk in Arizona, scoring 97.7 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maricopa County | 97.7 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 2 | Pinal County | 95.7 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 3 | Cochise County | 90 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 4 | La Paz County | 80.4 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 5 | Graham County | 79.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 6 | Yuma County | 74.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 7 | Pima County | 69.6 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 8 | Santa Cruz County | 54.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 9 | Navajo County | 52 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 10 | Apache County | 50.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 11 | Greenlee County | 31.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 12 | Yavapai County | 29.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 13 | Coconino County | 25.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 14 | Gila County | 24.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 15 | Mohave County | 20.8 | Very Low | 0 |
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.
Drought risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Arizona:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest drought risk county in Arizona?
Maricopa County, AZ has the highest drought risk in Arizona, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 97.7 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes drought risk in Arizona?
Drought risk captures expected annual losses from prolonged precipitation deficits affecting agriculture, water supply, and ecosystems. High scores cover the western Great Plains, Southwest, and California's Central Valley. Climate change is increasing drought frequency and severity across much of the US, with multi-year droughts becoming more common in the West.