Hopkins County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hopkins County has experienced 30 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Hopkins County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, strong wind, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 36% 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. Hopkins County has been designated in 30 declarations since 1969, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (17), tornado (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2022 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2022 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
Showing the 10 most recent of 30 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 18.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 66.6 | 35 | 0 | $353K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 91.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 75.1 | 39 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 79.6 | 4 | 16 | $2.7M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 29.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 81.5 | 19 | 0 | $50K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 93 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 80.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 96.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 50.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 78.4 | 2 | 1 | $10K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 70.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 35.5 | 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
Hopkins County ranks in the 63rd 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 | 63rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 56th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 80th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 36th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 62nd | Moderate |
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 | 27th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 25th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 75.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 99 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 42 in 2016–20 vs 57 in 2021–25 (+36% — 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 Hopkins County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hopkins County, Kentucky are ice storm, strong wind, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Hopkins County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hopkins County has received 30 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (17 declarations).
Has Hopkins County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Hopkins County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Hopkins County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Christian County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Webster County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Hopkins County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Hopkins County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hopkins 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. Hopkins County's composite score of 73 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 73% of US counties.