Newton County, AR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Newton County has experienced 30 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Newton County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, ice storm, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 36 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (20th 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. Newton County has been designated in 30 declarations since 1969, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (15), flood (5), severe ice storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Laura |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 30 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 51 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 21.3 | 8 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 38.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 37.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 51.1 | 4 | 0 | $400K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 17.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 16.1 | 24 | 0 | $1K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 36.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 34 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 82.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 43 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 84.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 81.8 | 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
Newton County ranks in the 20th 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 | 20th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 44th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 23rd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 21st | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 10th | 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 | 74th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 97.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 36 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 17 in 2016–20 vs 19 in 2021–25 (+12% — frequency increasing).
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 Newton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Newton County, Arkansas are lightning, ice storm, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Newton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Newton County has received 30 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (15 declarations).
Has Newton County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Newton County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Newton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pope County, AR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Searcy County, AR has the lowest (Very Low). Newton County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Newton County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Newton 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. Newton County's composite score of 18 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 18% of US counties.