Charlotte County, VA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Charlotte County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Charlotte County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hurricane, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 56% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (74th 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. Charlotte County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1972, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (6), severe storm (5), snowstorm (3).
| 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 |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Michael |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 11.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 19.8 | 14 | 2 | $1.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 45.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 24.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 17.8 | 1 | 0 | $50K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 74.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 22.1 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 22.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 28.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 24 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 22.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 29.8 | 2 | 0 | $2K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 93.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 31.7 | 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
Charlotte County ranks in the 74th 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 | 74th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 62nd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 86th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 69th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 63rd | 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 | 29th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 28th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 95.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 26 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 18 in 2016–20 vs 8 in 2021–25 (-56% — 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 Charlotte County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Charlotte 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 Charlotte County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Charlotte County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (6 declarations).
Has Charlotte County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Charlotte 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 1972.
How does Charlotte County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Mecklenburg County, VA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Appomattox County, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Charlotte County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Charlotte County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Charlotte 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. Charlotte County's composite score of 17 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 17% of US counties.