Etowah County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Etowah County has experienced 29 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Etowah County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, strong wind, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 41% 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. Etowah County has been designated in 29 declarations since 1973, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (12), hurricane (7), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Thunderstorms |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
Showing the 10 most recent of 29 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 | 72.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 87.5 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 88.3 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 77.6 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 97.8 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 68.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 60.1 | 28 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 94.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 27.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 56.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 77.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 79 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 48.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 77.7 | 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
Etowah County ranks in the 67th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 67th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 80th | High |
| Household characteristics | 75th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 57th | Moderate |
| 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 | 77th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 63.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 46 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 29 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (-41% — frequency decreasing).
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 Etowah County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Etowah County, Alabama are tornado, strong wind, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Etowah County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Etowah County has received 29 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Etowah County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Etowah County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Etowah County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Calhoun County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Cherokee County, AL has the lowest (Relatively Low). Etowah County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Etowah County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Etowah 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. Etowah County's composite score of 87 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 87% of US counties.