Gadsden County, FL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Gadsden County has experienced 39 federally declared disasters since 1986, most recently Tropical Storm Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Gadsden County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 32 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (97th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Gadsden County has been designated in 39 declarations since 1986, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (22), severe storm (7), tropical storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2023 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Idalia |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nicole |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
Showing the 10 most recent of 39 total declarations since 1986.
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 | 79.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 57.7 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 44.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 67.7 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 83.8 | 5 | 0 | $175K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 91.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 26.5 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 32.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 18.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 86.1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 77.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 48.9 | 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
Gadsden County ranks in the 97th percentile (High) 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 | 97th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 89th | High |
| Household characteristics | 97th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 95th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 94th | 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 | 69th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 69th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 83.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 32 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 6 in 2016–20 vs 26 in 2021–25 .
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 Gadsden County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Gadsden County, Florida are hurricane, lightning, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Gadsden County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Gadsden County has received 39 federal disaster declarations since 1986, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (22 declarations).
Has Gadsden County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Gadsden County include Tropical Storm Helene (2024), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1986.
How does Gadsden County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Leon County, FL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Liberty County, FL has the lowest (Very Low). Gadsden County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Gadsden County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Gadsden 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. Gadsden County's composite score of 72 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 72% of US counties.