Franklin County, AR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Franklin County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Franklin County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, heat wave, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 25% 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. Franklin County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1972, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (13), flood (4), severe ice storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 82.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 50.9 | 24 | 0 | $490K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 62.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 64.8 | 15 | 0 | $405K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 46.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 54.3 | 51 | 0 | $730K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 30.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 72.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 93.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 45.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 64.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 58.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 38.4 | 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
Franklin County ranks in the 62nd 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 | 62nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 67th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 67th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 34th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 53rd | Moderate |
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 | 78th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 73rd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 83.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 90 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 40 in 2016–20 vs 50 in 2021–25 (+25% — 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 Franklin County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Franklin County, Arkansas are ice storm, heat wave, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Franklin County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Franklin County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (13 declarations).
Has Franklin County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Franklin County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Franklin County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Washington County, AR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Madison County, AR has the lowest (Relatively Low). Franklin County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Franklin County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Franklin 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. Franklin County's composite score of 49 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 49% of US counties.