Coahoma County, MS

FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data

Population: 21,300 · Cities: Clarksdale

Relatively Low Riskier than 63% of US counties
Very Low Relatively Low Relatively Moderate Relatively High Very High

Coahoma County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.

Coahoma County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, tornado, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 161% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (99th 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. Coahoma County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (10), flood (4), hurricane (4).

2002–2026
Year Type Event name
2026 Winter Storm Severe Winter Storm
2026 Winter Storm Severe Winter Storm
2022 Hurricane Hurricane Ida
2021 Hurricane Hurricane Ida
2020 Severe Storm Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
2020 Biological Covid-19 Pandemic
2020 Biological Covid-19
2019 Severe Storm Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding
2016 Severe Storm Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
2016 Flood Severe Storms And Flooding

Showing the 10 most recent of 23 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 10.5 0 0
Inland Flooding Relatively Low 46.3 2 0 $1.1M
Coastal Flooding Not Applicable 0 0
Earthquake Relatively Moderate 90.7 1
Heat Wave Relatively Low 78.3 121 0
Tornado Relatively Moderate 86.6 0 0
Hurricane Relatively Low 59.7 0 0
Hail Relatively Low 63.8 7 0
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate 76.3 0 0
Winter Weather Very Low 20.7 0 0
Ice Storm Relatively Low 42.1
Cold Wave Relatively Low 49
Lightning Relatively Low 47.1 0 0
Drought Relatively Moderate 80.1 0 0
Landslide Very Low 27.6 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

Coahoma County ranks in the 99th 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 99th High
Socioeconomic status 99th High
Household characteristics 90th High
Racial & ethnic minority status 98th High
Housing type & transportation 89th 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 26th Relatively Low
Risk to homes 26th Relatively Low
Buildings in direct exposure zone 26.9%

NOAA tracked 130 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 36 in 2016–20 vs 94 in 2021–25 (+161% — 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

Compare Coahoma County with other counties → All Mississippi counties →

Frequently asked questions

What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Coahoma County?

According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Coahoma County, Mississippi are earthquake, tornado, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.

Has Coahoma County received federal disaster declarations?

Yes. Coahoma County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).

Has Coahoma County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?

Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Coahoma County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.

How does Coahoma County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?

Among neighboring counties, Bolivar County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Quitman County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Coahoma County is rated Relatively Low overall.

How is Coahoma County's composite disaster risk index calculated?

Coahoma 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. Coahoma County's composite score of 63 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 63% of US counties.

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