Hale County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hale County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Hale County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, hurricane, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 180% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (88th 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. Hale County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (10), severe storm (6), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 25.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 41.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 65.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 58.9 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 68.2 | 24 | 1 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 68.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 30.5 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 51.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 5.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 28.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 32 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 93.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 38.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 50.3 | 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
Hale County ranks in the 88th 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 | 88th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 93rd | High |
| Household characteristics | 51st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 93rd | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 81st | 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 | 48th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 45th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 89.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 38 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 10 in 2016–20 vs 28 in 2021–25 (+180% — 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 Hale County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hale County, Alabama are lightning, hurricane, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Hale County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hale County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (10 declarations).
Has Hale County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Hale County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Hale County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Tuscaloosa County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Perry County, AL has the lowest (Very Low). Hale County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Hale County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hale 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. Hale County's composite score of 39 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 39% of US counties.