Calhoun County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Calhoun County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Calhoun County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, inland flooding, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" 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 elevated (81st percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Calhoun County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1977, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (11), hurricane (8), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2021 | 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 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 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 | Relatively Low | 81.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 89.5 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 84.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 78.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 98.2 | 7 | 6 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 74 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 71.9 | 26 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 84.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 29.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 55.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 75.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 80.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 61.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 85.5 | 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
Calhoun County ranks in the 81st percentile (High) 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 | 81st | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 85th | High |
| Household characteristics | 65th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 66th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 71st | 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 | 83rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 78th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 70.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 44 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 26 in 2016–20 vs 18 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 Calhoun County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Calhoun County, Alabama are tornado, inland flooding, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Calhoun County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Calhoun County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Calhoun County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Calhoun County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Calhoun County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Etowah County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Clay County, AL has the lowest (Very Low). Calhoun County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Calhoun County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Calhoun 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. Calhoun County's composite score of 89 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 89% of US counties.