Perry County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Perry County has experienced 32 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.
Perry County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, wildfire, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 35% 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. Perry County has been designated in 32 declarations since 1969, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (16), severe storm (6), tornado (3).
| 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 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Marco And Tropical Storm Laura |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
Showing the 10 most recent of 32 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 | Relatively Low | 70.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 23.6 | 15 | 0 | $1.9M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 33.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 39.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 44.3 | 7 | 0 | $160K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 80.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 30.6 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 24.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 14.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 23.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 16.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 36.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 36.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 36.2 | 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
Perry County ranks in the 69th 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 | 69th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 78th | High |
| Household characteristics | 72nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 57th | 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 | 86th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 83rd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 92.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 28 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 17 in 2016–20 vs 11 in 2021–25 (-35% — 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 Perry County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Perry County, Mississippi are hurricane, wildfire, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Perry County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Perry County has received 32 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (16 declarations).
Has Perry County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Perry County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Perry County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jones County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Greene County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Perry County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Perry County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Perry 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. Perry County's composite score of 20 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 20% of US counties.