DeSoto County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
DeSoto County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
DeSoto County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, earthquake, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 121% 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. DeSoto County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (5), hurricane (4), winter storm (2).
| 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 |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Associated Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 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 | Relatively Low | 67.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 80.1 | 27 | 0 | $963K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 96.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 96.1 | 102 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 96.8 | 5 | 0 | $6.0M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 49.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 61.3 | 36 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 76.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 43.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 72.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 91.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 90.3 | 1 | 0 | $25K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 48.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 76.5 | 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
DeSoto County ranks in the 36th 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 | 36th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 38th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 51st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 79th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 13th | Very 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 | 62nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 57th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 50.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 170 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 53 in 2016–20 vs 117 in 2021–25 (+121% — 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 DeSoto County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in DeSoto County, Mississippi are tornado, earthquake, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has DeSoto County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. DeSoto County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has DeSoto County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for DeSoto County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does DeSoto County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Shelby County, TN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Tunica County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). DeSoto County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is DeSoto County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
DeSoto 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. DeSoto County's composite score of 89 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 89% of US counties.