Henderson County, NC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Henderson County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1978, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Henderson County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, cold wave, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 59 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Henderson County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1978, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (8), snowstorm (3), tropical storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2017 | Fire | Party Rock Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 total declarations since 1978.
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 | 45.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 84 | 31 | 7 | $201.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 84.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 80.6 | 1 | 0 | $100K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 70.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 87.1 | 24 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 91.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 41 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 95.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 95.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 90.9 | 3 | 0 | $55K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 80.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 95.3 | 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
Henderson County ranks in the 43rd 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 | 43rd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 44th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 60th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 49th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 28th | 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 | 53rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 76.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 59 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 29 in 2016–20 vs 30 in 2021–25 (+3% — relatively stable).
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 Henderson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Henderson County, North Carolina are ice storm, cold wave, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Henderson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Henderson County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1978, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (8 declarations).
Has Henderson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Henderson County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1978.
How does Henderson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Greenville County, SC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Polk County, NC has the lowest (Very Low). Henderson County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Henderson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Henderson 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. Henderson County's composite score of 84 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 84% of US counties.