Bedford County, VA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bedford County has experienced 28 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Bedford County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 31% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (9th 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. Bedford County has been designated in 28 declarations since 1969, covering 9 disaster types including severe storm (6), hurricane (6), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
Showing the 10 most recent of 28 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 66.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 68.3 | 24 | 0 | $231K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 60.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 31.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 25.1 | 6 | 0 | $1.4M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 73 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 26.9 | 34 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 61 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 57.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 43.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 33 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 71.4 | 17 | 1 | $318K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 70.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 62.6 | 2 | 0 | $5K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 57.6 | — | — | — |
| 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
Bedford County ranks in the 9th percentile (Very 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 | 9th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 9th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 12th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 41st | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 17th | 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 | 51st | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 86.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 83 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 49 in 2016–20 vs 34 in 2021–25 (-31% — frequency decreasing).
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 Bedford County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bedford County, Virginia are hurricane, lightning, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Bedford County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bedford County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Bedford County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Bedford County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Helene (2025), Severe Winter Storms And Flooding (2025), Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Bedford County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Roanoke, VA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Botetourt County, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Bedford County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Bedford County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bedford 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. Bedford County's composite score of 51 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 51% of US counties.