Fayette County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Fayette County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1979, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Fayette County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, cold wave, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 44 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. Fayette County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1979, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (9), flood (3), snowstorm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Flood | Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, And Tornadoes |
| 2009 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 total declarations since 1979.
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 | 26.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 92.7 | 23 | 0 | $70K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 93 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 87 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 98 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 57 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 93.1 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 95.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 96.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 91.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 96.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 95.9 | 6 | 0 | $2.6M |
| Drought | Very Low | 22 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 14 | 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
Fayette County ranks in the 55th 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 | 55th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 53rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 16th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 67th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 76th | 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 | 21st | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 20th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 24.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 44 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 23 in 2016–20 vs 21 in 2021–25 (-9% — relatively stable).
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 Fayette County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Fayette County, Kentucky are tornado, cold wave, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Fayette County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Fayette County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1979, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 declarations).
Has Fayette County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Fayette County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1979.
How does Fayette County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Madison County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Clark County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Fayette County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Fayette County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Fayette 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. Fayette County's composite score of 92 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 92% of US counties.