Autauga County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Autauga County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Autauga County's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, lightning, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 82% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (27th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Autauga County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1977, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (11), severe storm (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 total declarations since 1977.
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 | Very Low | 45.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 65.5 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 67.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 85.9 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 74.1 | 14 | 7 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 72.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 44.3 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 51.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 43 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 28.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 81.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 45.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 73.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Autauga County ranks in the 27th percentile (Low) 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 | 27th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 24th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 37th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 64th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 24th | Very low |
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 | 51st | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 48th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 68.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 31 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 11 in 2016–20 vs 20 in 2021–25 (+82% — frequency increasing).
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 Autauga County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Autauga County, Alabama are heat wave, lightning, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Autauga County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Autauga County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (11 declarations).
Has Autauga County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Autauga County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Autauga County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Montgomery County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Coosa County, AL has the lowest (Very Low). Autauga County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Autauga County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Autauga 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. Autauga County's composite score of 58 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 58% of US counties.