Delaware drought risk
Sussex County has the highest drought risk in Delaware, scoring 86.5 out of 100 — rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sussex County | 86.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 2 | Kent County | 84.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 3 | New Castle County | 84 | Relatively Moderate | 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 Delaware:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest drought risk county in Delaware?
Sussex County, DE has the highest drought risk in Delaware, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 86.5 out of 100 (rated "Relatively Moderate").
What causes drought risk in Delaware?
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.