Knox County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Knox County has experienced 39 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Knox County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, landslide, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 32 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (86th 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. Knox County has been designated in 39 declarations since 1967, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (17), flood (11), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Flood | Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 39 total declarations since 1967.
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 | Relatively Low | 84.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 71.7 | 21 | 0 | $2.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 70.2 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 55.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 61.4 | 1 | 0 | $200K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 39.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 59.4 | 10 | 0 | $10K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 61.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 82.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 25.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 96.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 60.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 20.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 89.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 39 | — | — | — |
| 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
Knox County ranks in the 86th 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 | 86th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 92nd | High |
| Household characteristics | 78th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 5th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 93rd | 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 | 91st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 86th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 76.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 32 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 15 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (+13% — 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 Knox County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Knox County, Kentucky are cold wave, landslide, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Knox County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Knox County has received 39 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (17 declarations).
Has Knox County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Knox County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Knox County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Laurel County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Leslie County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Knox County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Knox County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Knox 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. Knox County's composite score of 75 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 75% of US counties.