Madison County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Madison County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Madison County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, strong wind, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 45 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Madison County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1972, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (11), flood (5), severe ice storm (3).
| 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 |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Flood | Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 76 | 20 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 76.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 61.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 85.3 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 50.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 82.7 | 18 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 88.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 85.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 72.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 94.3 | 2 | 0 | $100K |
| Drought | Very Low | 20.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 48.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 25.3 | — | — | — |
| 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
Madison County ranks in the 38th 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 | 38th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 48th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 10th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 33rd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 60th | Moderate |
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 | 47th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 43rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 63.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 45 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 24 in 2016–20 vs 21 in 2021–25 (-12% — 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
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Madison County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Madison County, Kentucky are lightning, strong wind, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Madison County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Madison County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Madison County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Madison 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). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Madison County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Fayette County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Garrard County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Madison County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Madison County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Madison 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. Madison County's composite score of 75 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 75% of US counties.