Burlington County, NJ
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Burlington County has experienced 31 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Remnants Of Hurricane Ida in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Burlington County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, winter weather, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 37% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (24th 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. Burlington County has been designated in 31 declarations since 1965, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (9), severe storm (6), snowstorm (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Isaias |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
Showing the 10 most recent of 31 total declarations since 1965.
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 Moderate | 92.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 96.4 | 64 | 0 | $28K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 79 | 17 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 92 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 93.8 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 78.2 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 88.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 32.7 | 57 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 99 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 98.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 96.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 94.5 | 6 | 1 | $40 |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 72.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 61.1 | 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
Burlington County ranks in the 24th 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 | 24th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 18th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 20th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 73rd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 33rd | 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 | 88th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 90th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 37.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 166 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 70 in 2016–20 vs 96 in 2021–25 (+37% — 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 Burlington County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Burlington County, New Jersey are strong wind, winter weather, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Burlington County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Burlington County has received 31 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (9 declarations).
Has Burlington County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Burlington County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Remnants Of Hurricane Ida in 2021.
How does Burlington County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Philadelphia County, PA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and Gloucester County, NJ has the lowest (Relatively Moderate). Burlington County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Burlington County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Burlington 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. Burlington County's composite score of 94 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 94% of US counties.