Cleveland County, AR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cleveland County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Cleveland County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, earthquake, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. 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. Cleveland County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1973, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (7), hurricane (3), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2023 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Tornado | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Laura |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Associated Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 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 | 25.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 13.9 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 62.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 52.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 40.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 51.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 40.4 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 35.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 18.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 74.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 7.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 26.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 19.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 10.3 | 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
Cleveland 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 | 18th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 69th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 45th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 26th | 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 | 41st | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 41st | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 91.0% | — |
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 Cleveland County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cleveland County, Arkansas are ice storm, earthquake, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Cleveland County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cleveland County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Cleveland County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cleveland County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Cleveland County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jefferson County, AR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Calhoun County, AR has the lowest (Very Low). Cleveland County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Cleveland County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cleveland 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. Cleveland County's composite score of 10 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 10% of US counties.