Jessamine County, KY

FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data

Population: 52,980 · Cities: Nicholasville

Very Low Riskier than 40% of US counties
Very Low Relatively Low Relatively Moderate Relatively High Very High

Jessamine County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1968, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.

Jessamine County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, lightning, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.

Past disasters & FEMA designations

A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Jessamine County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1968, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (10), snowstorm (4), flood (3).

2002–2026
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, 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
2021 Flood Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
2020 Biological Covid-19 Pandemic
2020 Biological Covid-19
2015 Snowstorm Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides

Showing the 10 most recent of 25 total declarations since 1968.

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 6.7 0 0
Inland Flooding Relatively Low 42.3 5 0 $100K
Coastal Flooding Not Applicable 0 0
Earthquake Very Low 55.7
Heat Wave Relatively Low 41.3 0 0
Tornado Relatively Moderate 69.3 3 0
Hurricane Very Low 40.4 0 0
Hail Relatively Low 62.7 6 0
Strong Wind Relatively High 84.8 0 0
Winter Weather Relatively Moderate 70.2 0 0
Ice Storm Relatively Low 53.6
Cold Wave Relatively Low 52.4
Lightning Relatively Moderate 79.2 1 0 $30K
Drought Very Low 17.3 0 0
Landslide Very Low 19.9 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

Jessamine County ranks in the 35th 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 35th Low
Socioeconomic status 40th Low
Household characteristics 56th Moderate
Racial & ethnic minority status 37th Low
Housing type & transportation 21st 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 25th Relatively Low
Risk to homes 23rd Relatively Low
Buildings in direct exposure zone 59.1%

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

Compare Jessamine County with other counties → All Kentucky counties →

Frequently asked questions

What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Jessamine County?

According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Jessamine County, Kentucky are strong wind, lightning, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.

Has Jessamine County received federal disaster declarations?

Yes. Jessamine County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1968, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).

Has Jessamine County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?

Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Jessamine 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, And Landslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1968.

How does Jessamine County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?

Among neighboring counties, Fayette County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Garrard County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Jessamine County is rated Very Low overall.

How is Jessamine County's composite disaster risk index calculated?

Jessamine 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. Jessamine County's composite score of 40 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 40% of US counties.

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