Franklin County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Franklin County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1993, most recently Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Franklin County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, earthquake, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Franklin County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1993, covering 9 disaster types including severe storm (4), snowstorm (3), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 total declarations since 1993.
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 | 17.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 67.1 | 11 | 0 | $1.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 79.2 | 5 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 26.9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 18.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 57.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 4 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 24.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 56.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 80.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 43.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 66.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 75.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 52.8 | — | — | — |
| 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 56th 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 | 56th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 55th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 14th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 47th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 86th | 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 | 7th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 7th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 79.1% | — |
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, New York are ice storm, earthquake, and landslide. 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 20 federal disaster declarations since 1993, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (4 declarations).
Has Franklin County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Franklin County include Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1993.
How does Franklin County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, St. Lawrence County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Grand Isle County, VT has the lowest (Very 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.