Jerome County, ID
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Jerome County has experienced 6 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Jerome County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, winter weather, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Jerome County has been designated in 6 declarations since 1965, covering 4 disaster types including biological (2), flood (2), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2000 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1965 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
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 | 90.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 31.1 | 2 | 0 | $2.8M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 58.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 72.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 7.3 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 19.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 86.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 36.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 28.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 28.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 24.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 10.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 34.9 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 45.3 | — | — | — |
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
Jerome County ranks in the 58th 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 | 58th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 71st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 67th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 80th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 18th | Very 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 | 93rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 91st | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 51.3% | — |
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 Jerome County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Jerome County, Idaho are wildfire, winter weather, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Jerome County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Jerome County has received 6 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Jerome County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Jerome County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Jerome County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Blaine County, ID has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Lincoln County, ID has the lowest (Very Low). Jerome County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Jerome County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Jerome 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. Jerome County's composite score of 22 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 22% of US counties.