Northampton County, NC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Northampton County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1989, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Northampton County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hurricane, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 22 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (89th 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. Northampton County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1989, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (15), biological (2), tropical storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 total declarations since 1989.
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 | 24.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 44.7 | 9 | 0 | $500K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 17.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 49.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 48.9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 54.7 | 3 | 0 | $60K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 84.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 45.4 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 32.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 74.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 40.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 29.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 29 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 88.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 24 | 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
Northampton County ranks in the 89th percentile (High) 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 | 89th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 95th | High |
| Household characteristics | 52nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 92nd | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 78th | 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 | 34th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 34th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 81.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 22 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 8 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 .
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 Northampton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Northampton County, North Carolina are drought, hurricane, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Northampton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Northampton County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1989, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (15 declarations).
Has Northampton County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Northampton County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1989.
How does Northampton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Halifax County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Emporia, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Northampton County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Northampton County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Northampton 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. Northampton County's composite score of 44 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 44% of US counties.