Macon County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Macon County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Macon County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hurricane, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 25 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (97th 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. Macon County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1975, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (10), hurricane (10), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 total declarations since 1975.
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 | 52.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 34.8 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 59.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 59.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 48 | 14 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 68.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 27.1 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 25.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 6.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 25.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 6.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 58.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 71.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 43.3 | 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
Macon County ranks in the 97th 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 | 97th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 96th | High |
| Household characteristics | 62nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 99th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 98th | 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 | 66th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 63rd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 85.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 25 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 5 in 2016–20 vs 20 in 2021–25 .
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 Macon County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Macon County, Alabama are drought, hurricane, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Macon County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Macon County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Macon County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Macon County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Macon County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Montgomery County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Bullock County, AL has the lowest (Very Low). Macon County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Macon County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Macon 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. Macon County's composite score of 24 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 24% of US counties.