Copiah County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Copiah County has experienced 28 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Copiah County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, tornado, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 48% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (80th 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. Copiah County has been designated in 28 declarations since 1969, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (11), severe storm (7), winter storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes. |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 28 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 49.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 46.7 | 16 | 0 | $515K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 56.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 89.5 | 15 | 0 | $1.9M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 78.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 87.4 | 35 | 0 | $3.6M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 73.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 15.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 68.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 48.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 63.9 | 1 | 0 | $10K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 54.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 99.1 | 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
Copiah County ranks in the 80th 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 | 80th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 80th | High |
| Household characteristics | 37th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 90th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 81st | 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 | 71st | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 67th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 85.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 67 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 27 in 2016–20 vs 40 in 2021–25 (+48% — 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 Copiah County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Copiah County, Mississippi are landslide, tornado, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Copiah County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Copiah County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (11 declarations).
Has Copiah County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Copiah County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Copiah County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Hinds County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Jefferson County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Copiah County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Copiah County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Copiah 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. Copiah County's composite score of 61 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 61% of US counties.