Buckingham County, VA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Buckingham County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Buckingham County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hurricane, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 41% 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. Buckingham County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1969, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (6), severe storm (5), 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 |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 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 |
| 2010 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 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 | Very Low | 20.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 24.8 | 13 | 0 | $60K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 62.9 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 28 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 22.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 75.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 20.7 | 18 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 51.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 11.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 23.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 7.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 56.3 | 4 | 0 | $51K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 82.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 52.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 10.1 | — | — | — |
| 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
Buckingham County ranks in the 68th 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 | 68th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 70th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 24th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 77th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 76th | 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 | 35th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 33rd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 97.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 35 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 22 in 2016–20 vs 13 in 2021–25 (-41% — 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 Buckingham County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Buckingham County, Virginia are drought, hurricane, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Buckingham County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Buckingham County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (6 declarations).
Has Buckingham County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Buckingham County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Helene (2025), Severe Winter Storms And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Buckingham County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Albemarle County, VA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Appomattox County, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Buckingham County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Buckingham County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Buckingham 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. Buckingham County's composite score of 19 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 19% of US counties.