Calhoun County, FL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Calhoun County has experienced 43 federally declared disasters since 1986, most recently Tropical Storm Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Calhoun County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 255% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (88th 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 43 declarations since 1986, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (22), severe storm (8), fire (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2023 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Idalia |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nicole |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2022 | Fire | Chipola Fire Complex |
Showing the 10 most recent of 43 total declarations since 1986.
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 | 59.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 32.2 | 25 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 21.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 28.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 42.3 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 56.6 | 5 | 0 | $1K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 89.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 7.2 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 59.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 4.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 40.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 63.4 | 2 | 0 | $55K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 49.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 12.2 | 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 88th 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 | 88th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 80th | High |
| Household characteristics | 71st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 60th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 96th | 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 | 70th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 67th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 90.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 50 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 11 in 2016–20 vs 39 in 2021–25 (+255% — 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 Calhoun County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Calhoun County, Florida are hurricane, lightning, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Calhoun County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Calhoun County has received 43 federal disaster declarations since 1986, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (22 declarations).
Has Calhoun County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Calhoun County include Tropical Storm Helene (2024), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1986.
How does Calhoun County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Bay County, FL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Liberty County, FL has the lowest (Very Low). Calhoun County is rated Relatively Low 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 45 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 45% of US counties.