Craig County, VA

FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data

Population: 4,883

Very Low Riskier than 6% of US counties
Very Low Relatively Low Relatively Moderate Relatively High Very High

Craig County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.

Craig County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, avalanche, and hurricane, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (6th 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. Craig County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1972, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (7), hurricane (5), snowstorm (5).

2002–2026
Year Type Event name
2026 Winter Storm Severe Winter Storm
2025 Tropical Storm Tropical Storm Helene
2025 Severe Storm Severe Winter Storms And Flooding
2024 Tropical Storm Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene
2020 Biological Covid-19 Pandemic
2020 Biological Covid-19
2019 Hurricane Hurricane Florence
2018 Hurricane Hurricane Florence
2013 Hurricane Hurricane Sandy
2013 Hurricane Hurricane Sandy

Showing the 10 most recent of 26 total declarations since 1972.

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 8.7 0 0
Inland Flooding Very Low 26.2 9 0 $172K
Coastal Flooding Not Applicable 0 0
Earthquake Very Low 18.3
Heat Wave Very Low 2 0 0
Tornado Very Low 5.2 1 0 $124K
Hurricane Very Low 34.6 0 0
Hail Very Low 4.4 4 0
Strong Wind Very Low 14.3 0 0
Winter Weather Very Low 16.7 0 0
Ice Storm Very Low 5.8
Cold Wave Very Low 12
Lightning Very Low 9.9 0 0
Drought Very Low 24.5 0 0
Landslide Relatively Low 83.3 0 0
Avalanche Very Low 47.8
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

Craig County ranks in the 6th percentile (Very 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 6th Very low
Socioeconomic status 5th Very low
Household characteristics 11th Very low
Racial & ethnic minority status 6th Very low
Housing type & transportation 29th 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 66th Relatively High
Risk to homes 68th Relatively High
Buildings in direct exposure zone 88.7%

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 Craig County with other counties → All Virginia counties →

Frequently asked questions

What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Craig County?

According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Craig County, Virginia are landslide, avalanche, and hurricane. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.

Has Craig County received federal disaster declarations?

Yes. Craig County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).

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

Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Craig County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Helene (2025), Severe Winter Storms And Flooding (2025), Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.

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

Among neighboring counties, Roanoke, VA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Botetourt County, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Craig County is rated Very Low overall.

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

Craig 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. Craig County's composite score of 6 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 6% of US counties.

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