Newton County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Newton County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Newton County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, hurricane, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 21% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Newton County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1974, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (9), hurricane (7), winter storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes. |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornado |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 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 | 38.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 36.6 | 27 | 0 | $309K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 57.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 65 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 83.5 | 15 | 0 | $885K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 80.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 66.3 | 33 | 0 | $1.9M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 71.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 43.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 57.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 74.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 60.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 63.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 58 | 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 68th 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 | 68th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 69th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 64th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 79th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 47th | 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 | 50th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 47th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 93.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 75 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 34 in 2016–20 vs 41 in 2021–25 (+21% — 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, Mississippi are tornado, hurricane, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Newton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Newton County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 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 Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1974.
How does Newton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lauderdale County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Jasper County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Newton County is rated Relatively 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 52 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 52% of US counties.