Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, CT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties. No federal disaster declarations are on record for this county.
Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, hurricane, and coastal flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (15th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
No federal disaster declarations on record for Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region as of September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 43.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 90.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 79.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 74.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 42.2 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 43.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 87.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 11.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 53.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 65 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 72.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 30.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 59.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 35.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 72.5 | 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
Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region ranks in the 15th 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 | 15th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 11th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 15th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 51st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 32nd | 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 | 28th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 30th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 62.8% | — |
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 Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Connecticut are inland flooding, hurricane, and coastal flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
How does Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Capitol Planning Region, CT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT has the lowest (Relatively Low). Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region'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. Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region's composite score of 84 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 84% of US counties.