Jackson County, FL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Jackson County has experienced 34 federally declared disasters since 1994, most recently Tropical Storm Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Jackson County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 94% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (81st 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. Jackson County has been designated in 34 declarations since 1994, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (20), severe storm (5), tropical storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nicole |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Fred |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
Showing the 10 most recent of 34 total declarations since 1994.
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 | 49.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 60.9 | 63 | 0 | $7.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 51.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 68.5 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 59.4 | 9 | 0 | $5.6M |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 94.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 17.1 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 52.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 23.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 13.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 69.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 87.1 | 2 | 0 | $13K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 80.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 35.2 | 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
Jackson County ranks in the 81st 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 | 81st | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 74th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 89th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 72nd | Moderate |
| 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 | 55th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 53rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 88.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 94 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 32 in 2016–20 vs 62 in 2021–25 (+94% — 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 Jackson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Jackson County, Florida are hurricane, lightning, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Jackson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Jackson County has received 34 federal disaster declarations since 1994, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (20 declarations).
Has Jackson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Jackson County include Tropical Storm Helene (2024), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1994.
How does Jackson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Houston County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Seminole County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Jackson County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Jackson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Jackson 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. Jackson County's composite score of 76 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 76% of US counties.