Johnston County, NC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Johnston County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1968, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Johnston County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, tornado, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 18% 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. Johnston County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1968, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (15), biological (2), tropical storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 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 |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 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 | 52.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 87.1 | 33 | 6 | $25.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 69.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 89.9 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 93.6 | 4 | 0 | $470K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 86.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 87 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 83.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 98.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 82.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 72.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 85.1 | 7 | 0 | $193K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 84.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 60.1 | 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
Johnston County ranks in the 53rd 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 | 53rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 47th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 61st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 73rd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 42nd | 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 | 34th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 33rd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 76.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 62 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 34 in 2016–20 vs 28 in 2021–25 (-18% — frequency decreasing).
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 Johnston County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Johnston County, North Carolina are winter weather, tornado, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Johnston County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Johnston County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1968, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (15 declarations).
Has Johnston County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Johnston County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1968.
How does Johnston County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Wake County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Harnett County, NC has the lowest (Relatively Low). Johnston County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Johnston County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Johnston 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. Johnston County's composite score of 86 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 86% of US counties.