Pender County, NC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Pender County has experienced 31 federally declared disasters since 1984, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Pender County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, winter weather, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 63% 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. Pender County has been designated in 31 declarations since 1984, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (23), severe storm (2), biological (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 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 31 total declarations since 1984.
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 | 86.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 69.7 | 41 | 1 | $6.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 81.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 55.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 62.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 70.9 | 17 | 0 | $819K |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 97.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 29.5 | 16 | 0 | $2K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 53 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 87.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 73.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 40.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 85.7 | 4 | 1 | $100K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 37.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 27.1 | 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
Pender 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 | 53rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 47th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 62nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 57th | Moderate |
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 | 77th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 78.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 78 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 57 in 2016–20 vs 21 in 2021–25 (-63% — frequency decreasing).
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 Pender County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Pender County, North Carolina are hurricane, winter weather, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Pender County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Pender County has received 31 federal disaster declarations since 1984, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (23 declarations).
Has Pender County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Pender County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1984.
How does Pender County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, New Hanover County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Bladen County, NC has the lowest (Relatively Moderate). Pender County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Pender County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Pender 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. Pender County's composite score of 87 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 87% of US counties.