Kings County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Kings County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storm And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Kings County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, heat wave, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 158% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (89th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Kings County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1965, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (8), flood (3), snowstorm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Henri |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2011 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 38.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very High | 99.4 | 31 | 3 | $60.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 87.2 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 98.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very High | 99.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 94.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 97.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 95.8 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 99.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 99.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 93.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98 | 5 | 0 | $43K |
| Drought | Very Low | 13.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 43.1 | 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
Kings County ranks in the 89th percentile (High) 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 | 89th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 88th | High |
| Household characteristics | 54th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 94th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 92nd | High |
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 | 30th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 33rd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 0.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 43 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 12 in 2016–20 vs 31 in 2021–25 (+158% — frequency increasing).
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 Kings County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Kings County, New York are winter weather, heat wave, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Kings County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Kings County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (8 declarations).
Has Kings County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Kings County include Severe Storm And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Kings County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Queens County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Richmond County, NY has the lowest (Relatively Moderate). Kings County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Kings County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Kings 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. Kings County's composite score of 99 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 99% of US counties.