Chilton County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Chilton County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Chilton County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, landslide, and heat wave, 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.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Chilton County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (10), severe storm (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 63.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 60.2 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 66 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 68.1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 85.8 | 17 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 58.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 21.7 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 28.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 23.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 50 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 64.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 41.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 76.7 | 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
Chilton County ranks in the 53rd 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 | 53rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 59th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 68th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 54th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 27th | 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 | 73rd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 69th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 87.7% | — |
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 Chilton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Chilton County, Alabama are tornado, landslide, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Chilton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Chilton County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (10 declarations).
Has Chilton County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Chilton County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Chilton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Shelby County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Coosa County, AL has the lowest (Very Low). Chilton County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Chilton County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Chilton 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. Chilton County's composite score of 55 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 55% of US counties.