Larue County, KY

FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data

Population: 14,854

Very Low Riskier than 12% of US counties
Very Low Relatively Low Relatively Moderate Relatively High Very High

Larue County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.

Larue County's highest-rated hazards are hail, earthquake, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 21% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (25th 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. Larue County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1970, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (12), flood (4), snowstorm (3).

2002–2026
Year Type Event name
2026 Winter Storm Severe Winter Storm
2025 Severe Storm Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
2025 Severe Storm Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding
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
2023 Severe Storm Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
2020 Biological Covid-19 Pandemic
2020 Biological Covid-19
2015 Flood Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides

Showing the 10 most recent of 25 total declarations since 1970.

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 7 0 0
Inland Flooding Very Low 22.9 14 0
Coastal Flooding Not Applicable 0 0
Earthquake Very Low 50.8
Heat Wave Very Low 25.2 0 0
Tornado Relatively Low 36.3 5 0 $100K
Hurricane Very Low 25.3 0 0
Hail Relatively Low 61.3 6 0
Strong Wind Relatively Low 45 0 0
Winter Weather Relatively Low 40.4 0 0
Ice Storm Relatively Low 41.5
Cold Wave Relatively Low 30.3
Lightning Relatively Low 33.9 0 0
Drought Very Low 29.6 0 0
Landslide Very Low 15.5 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

Larue County ranks in the 25th percentile (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 25th Low
Socioeconomic status 46th Low
Household characteristics 54th Moderate
Racial & ethnic minority status 26th Low
Housing type & transportation 5th Very 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 18th Very Low
Risk to homes 16th Very Low
Buildings in direct exposure zone 83.9%

NOAA tracked 25 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 11 in 2021–25 (-21% — 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

Compare Larue County with other counties → All Kentucky counties →

Frequently asked questions

What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Larue County?

According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Larue County, Kentucky are hail, earthquake, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.

Has Larue County received federal disaster declarations?

Yes. Larue County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).

Has Larue County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?

Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Larue County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (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 1970.

How does Larue County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?

Among neighboring counties, Hardin County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Green County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Larue County is rated Very Low overall.

How is Larue County's composite disaster risk index calculated?

Larue 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. Larue County's composite score of 12 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 12% of US counties.

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