Accomack County, VA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Accomack County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Accomack County's highest-rated hazards are coastal flooding, hurricane, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 30 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (86th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Accomack County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1972, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (10), biological (2), snowstorm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Tropical Depression Ernesto, Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 total declarations since 1972.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 79.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 50.6 | 12 | 1 | $500K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very High | 96.8 | 9 | 0 | $60K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 51.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 52.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 18 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 94.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 22.5 | 8 | 0 | $6K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 30.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 26.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 49.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 56.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 21.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 59.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 15.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Accomack County ranks in the 86th percentile (High) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 86th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 74th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 90th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 79th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 80th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 52nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 60th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 57.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 30 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 9 in 2016–20 vs 21 in 2021–25 .
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Accomack County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Accomack County, Virginia are coastal flooding, hurricane, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Accomack County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Accomack County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (10 declarations).
Has Accomack County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Accomack County include Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Accomack County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Worcester County, MD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Mathews County, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Accomack County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Accomack County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Accomack County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Accomack County's composite score of 81 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 81% of US counties.