Boyd County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Boyd County has experienced 33 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Boyd County's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, landslide, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 48% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Boyd County has been designated in 33 declarations since 1967, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (16), flood (6), severe ice storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides |
| 2021 | Flood | Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
Showing the 10 most recent of 33 total declarations since 1967.
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 | 68.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 82.2 | 47 | 0 | $275K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 59.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 96.6 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 51.3 | 2 | 0 | $300K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 50.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 56.9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 44.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 61.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 75.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 21.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 57.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 14.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 83.5 | 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
Boyd County ranks in the 67th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 67th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 64th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 76th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 20th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 73rd | Moderate |
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 | 56th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 51st | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 43.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 52 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 21 in 2016–20 vs 31 in 2021–25 (+48% — 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 Boyd County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Boyd County, Kentucky are heat wave, landslide, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Boyd County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Boyd County has received 33 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (16 declarations).
Has Boyd County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Boyd County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Boyd County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Cabell County, WV has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Greenup County, KY has the lowest (Relatively Low). Boyd County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Boyd County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Boyd 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. Boyd County's composite score of 75 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 75% of US counties.