Pike County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Pike County has experienced 34 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Pike County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, hurricane, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 33 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (98th 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. Pike County has been designated in 34 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (16), severe storm (8), winter storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Marco And Tropical Storm Laura |
Showing the 10 most recent of 34 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 71.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 64.8 | 5 | 0 | $940K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 52.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.3 | 18 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 90.1 | 15 | 0 | $120K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 87.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 80.1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 75.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 18.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 64.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 36.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 82.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 55.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 40.8 | 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
Pike County ranks in the 98th 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 | 98th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 98th | High |
| Household characteristics | 79th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 91st | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 97th | 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 | 80th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 76th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 78.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 33 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 9 in 2016–20 vs 24 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 Pike County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Pike County, Mississippi are tornado, hurricane, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Pike County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Pike County has received 34 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (16 declarations).
Has Pike County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Pike County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Pike County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Washington Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Lawrence County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Pike County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Pike County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Pike 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. Pike County's composite score of 70 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 70% of US counties.