Mercer County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Mercer County has experienced 25 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.
Mercer County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, tornado, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. 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. Mercer County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1974, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (11), severe ice storm (3), snowstorm (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 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, And Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 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 | Very Low | 11 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 53.3 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 58.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 26.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 69.1 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 33.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 59.4 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 75.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 57.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 62.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 41.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 49.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 28 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 30.7 | 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
Mercer 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 | 28th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 23rd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 28th | 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 | 21st | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 20th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 83.2% | — |
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 Mercer County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Mercer County, Kentucky are strong wind, tornado, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Mercer County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Mercer County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Mercer County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Mercer 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 1974.
How does Mercer County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Boyle County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Washington County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Mercer County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Mercer County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Mercer 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. Mercer County's composite score of 41 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 41% of US counties.