Marion County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Marion County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Marion County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, tornado, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 42 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. Marion County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (12), hurricane (7), 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 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 37.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 64 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 80.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 67.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 90.7 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 67.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 46.8 | 22 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 63 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 16.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 50.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 77.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 97.9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 37.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 86.4 | 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
Marion County ranks in the 69th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 69th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 86th | High |
| Household characteristics | 44th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 26th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 65th | 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 | 54th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 50th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 85.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 42 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 22 in 2016–20 vs 20 in 2021–25 (-9% — relatively stable).
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 Marion County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Marion County, Alabama are lightning, tornado, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Marion County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Marion County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Marion County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Marion County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Marion County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Monroe County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Lamar County, AL has the lowest (Very Low). Marion County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Marion County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Marion 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. Marion County's composite score of 69 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 69% of US counties.