Madison County, VA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Madison County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Madison County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, drought, and avalanche, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 33% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (16th 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. Madison County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1972, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (6), severe storm (5), snowstorm (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2016 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 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 | 39.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 19.5 | 92 | 1 | $107K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 44.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 27.3 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 13.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 70.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 20 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 32.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 13.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 9.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 10 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 20.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 57.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 49.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 53.1 | — | — | — |
| 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 16th 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 | 16th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 34th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 8th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 45th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 13th | 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 | 44th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 45th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 96.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 105 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 63 in 2016–20 vs 42 in 2021–25 (-33% — 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, Virginia are hurricane, drought, and avalanche. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Madison County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Madison County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (6 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), Tropical Storm Helene (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, Culpeper County, VA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Rappahannock County, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Madison County is rated Very 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 8 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 8% of US counties.