Chatham County, NC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Chatham County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Chatham County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, tornado, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 117% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (29th 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. Chatham County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1977, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (12), biological (2), tropical storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Tropical Depression | Tropical Depression Chantal |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Michael |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 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 | Very Low | 33 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 74.4 | 18 | 3 | $8.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 61.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 72.4 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 75.8 | 2 | 0 | $120K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 83.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 67.1 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 36.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 55 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 74.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 51.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 58.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 45 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 48.2 | 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
Chatham County ranks in the 29th percentile (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 | 29th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 30th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 47th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 65th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 17th | Very 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 | 36th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 33rd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 84.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 38 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 12 in 2016–20 vs 26 in 2021–25 (+117% — 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 Chatham County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Chatham County, North Carolina are hurricane, tornado, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Chatham County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Chatham County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (12 declarations).
Has Chatham County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Chatham County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Depression Chantal (2025), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Chatham County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Durham County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Lee County, NC has the lowest (Relatively Low). Chatham County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Chatham County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Chatham 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. Chatham County's composite score of 67 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 67% of US counties.