Hancock County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hancock County has experienced 33 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Hancock County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 262% 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. Hancock County has been designated in 33 declarations since 1974, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (21), severe storm (5), winter storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Arthur |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
Showing the 10 most recent of 33 total declarations since 1974.
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 Moderate | 90.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 67.2 | 6 | 0 | $100K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 86.2 | 2 | 0 | $10K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 44.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 78.1 | 23 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 76.6 | 21 | 0 | $463K |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 95.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 55.2 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 35.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 35.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 36.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 61 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 91.2 | 1 | 0 | $100K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 55.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 17.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Hancock County ranks in the 48th percentile (Low) 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 | 48th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 60th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 43rd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 44th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 32nd | Low |
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 | 95th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 94th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 59.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 60 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 13 in 2016–20 vs 47 in 2021–25 (+262% — 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 Hancock County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hancock County, Mississippi are hurricane, lightning, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Hancock County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hancock County has received 33 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (21 declarations).
Has Hancock County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Hancock County include Tropical Storm Arthur (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1974.
How does Hancock County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Orleans Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Stone County, MS has the lowest (Relatively Low). Hancock County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Hancock County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hancock 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. Hancock County's composite score of 83 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 83% of US counties.