Jones County, NC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Jones County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1996, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Jones County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, winter weather, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 29 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Jones County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1996, covering 5 disaster types including hurricane (21), 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 |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 total declarations since 1996.
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 | 48.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 28.5 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 33.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 32 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 41.3 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 21.8 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 94.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 45.5 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 39.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 72.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 28.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 23.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 35.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 48.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 9.8 | 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
Jones County ranks in the 67th 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 | 67th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 80th | High |
| Household characteristics | 27th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 76th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 57th | 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 | 54th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 56th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 78.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 29 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 15 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (-7% — relatively stable).
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 Jones County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Jones County, North Carolina are hurricane, winter weather, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Jones County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Jones County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1996, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (21 declarations).
Has Jones County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Jones County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1996.
How does Jones County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Onslow County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Greene County, NC has the lowest (Relatively Low). Jones County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Jones County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Jones 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. Jones County's composite score of 65 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 65% of US counties.