McCreary County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
McCreary County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
McCreary County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, winter weather, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 75% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (70th 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. McCreary County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1974, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (11), snowstorm (3), winter storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1974.
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 | Relatively Low | 74.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 24.3 | 13 | 0 | $78K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 60 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 44.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 48.2 | 1 | 0 | $150K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 48.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 54.1 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 58.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 77.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 29.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 67 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 55.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 16.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 90.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 34.2 | — | — | — |
| 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
McCreary County ranks in the 70th 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 | 70th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 73rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 31st | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 31st | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 91st | 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 | 83rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 78th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 91.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 25 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 20 in 2016–20 vs 5 in 2021–25 (-75% — 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 McCreary County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in McCreary County, Kentucky are landslide, winter weather, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has McCreary County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. McCreary County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has McCreary County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for McCreary County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1974.
How does McCreary County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pulaski County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Scott County, TN has the lowest (Very Low). McCreary County is rated Very Low overall.
How is McCreary County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
McCreary 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. McCreary County's composite score of 25 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 25% of US counties.