Elliott County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Elliott County has experienced 34 federally declared disasters since 1989, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Elliott County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, wildfire, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (76th 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. Elliott County has been designated in 34 declarations since 1989, covering 9 disaster types including severe storm (17), flood (5), severe ice storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2025 | Tropical Storm | Remnants Of Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Flood | Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
Showing the 10 most recent of 34 total declarations since 1989.
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 | 57.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 32.9 | 2 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 35.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 45.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 24.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 35.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 21 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 27.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 36.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 27.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 14.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 27 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 19.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 87.2 | 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
Elliott County ranks in the 76th 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 | 76th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 88th | High |
| Household characteristics | 21st | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 3rd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 97th | 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 | 61st | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 57th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 96.8% | — |
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 Elliott County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Elliott County, Kentucky are landslide, wildfire, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Elliott County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Elliott County has received 34 federal disaster declarations since 1989, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (17 declarations).
Has Elliott County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Elliott County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (2025), Remnants Of Hurricane Helene (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1989.
How does Elliott County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Boyd County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Morgan County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Elliott County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Elliott County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Elliott 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. Elliott County's composite score of 12 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 12% of US counties.