Kent County, RI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Kent County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1978, most recently Severe Storm And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Kent County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, inland flooding, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 36% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (21st percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Kent County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1978, covering 5 disaster types including hurricane (8), severe storm (6), snowstorm (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2022 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Henri |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1978.
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 | 21.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 80.9 | 18 | 0 | $5K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 59.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 75.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 65.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 39.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 82.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 3.7 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 46.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 54.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 68.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 38.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 65 | 1 | 0 | $2K |
| Drought | Very Low | 23.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 41.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Kent County ranks in the 21st percentile (Very 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 | 21st | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 24th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 18th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 42nd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 29th | 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 | 15th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 18th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 20.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 23 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 9 in 2021–25 (-36% — 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 Kent County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Kent County, Rhode Island are hurricane, inland flooding, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Kent County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Kent County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1978, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (8 declarations).
Has Kent County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Kent County include Severe Storms And Flooding (2024), Severe Storm And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1978.
How does Kent County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Providence County, RI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Bristol County, RI has the lowest (Very Low). Kent County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Kent County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Kent 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. Kent County's composite score of 69 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 69% of US counties.