Pamlico County, NC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Pamlico County has experienced 30 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.
Pamlico County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, wildfire, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Pamlico County has been designated in 30 declarations since 1989, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (23), 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 |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
Showing the 10 most recent of 30 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 | Relatively Low | 78 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 17.7 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 58.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 32.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 43.2 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 36.4 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 95.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 11.5 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 19.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 74.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 39 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 15.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 74.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 18.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 15.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Pamlico County ranks in the 56th 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 | 56th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 60th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 56th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 62nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 41st | 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 | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 78th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 84.4% | — |
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 Pamlico County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Pamlico County, North Carolina are hurricane, wildfire, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Pamlico County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Pamlico County has received 30 federal disaster declarations since 1989, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (23 declarations).
Has Pamlico County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Pamlico 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 Pamlico County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Craven County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Washington County, NC has the lowest (Relatively Low). Pamlico County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Pamlico County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Pamlico 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. Pamlico County's composite score of 72 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 72% of US counties.