Faulkner County, AR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Faulkner County has experienced 28 federally declared disasters since 1968, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Faulkner County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, tornado, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 108 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Faulkner County has been designated in 28 declarations since 1968, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (10), flood (5), tornado (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Laura |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 28 total declarations since 1968.
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 | 77.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 77 | 44 | 0 | $2.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 94.4 | 50 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 91.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 97.1 | 7 | 0 | $111K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 52.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 57.9 | 57 | 0 | $10K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 92.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 83.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 98.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 51.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 81.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 48.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 61.7 | 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
Faulkner County ranks in the 53rd 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 | 53rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 46th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 21st | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 54th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 83rd | 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 | 76th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 71st | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 63.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 108 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 51 in 2016–20 vs 57 in 2021–25 (+12% — 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 Faulkner County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Faulkner County, Arkansas are ice storm, tornado, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Faulkner County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Faulkner County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1968, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Faulkner County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Faulkner County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1968.
How does Faulkner County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pulaski County, AR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Perry County, AR has the lowest (Very Low). Faulkner County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Faulkner County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Faulkner 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. Faulkner County's composite score of 86 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 86% of US counties.