Polk County, NC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Polk County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Polk County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, ice storm, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 61% 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. Polk County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1977, covering 10 disaster types including hurricane (9), snowstorm (3), tropical storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Fire | Black Cove Fire Complex |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1977.
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 | 43.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 46.7 | 15 | 1 | $15.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 51.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 16.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 53.7 | 2 | 0 | $200K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 60.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 36.3 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 55.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 11.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 87.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 45.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 67.3 | 1 | 0 | $20K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 47 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 98.3 | 1 | 1 | $500K |
| 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
Polk County ranks in the 36th percentile (Low) 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 | 36th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 31st | Low |
| Household characteristics | 46th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 42nd | Low |
| 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 | 63rd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 59th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 96.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 32 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 23 in 2016–20 vs 9 in 2021–25 (-61% — 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 Polk County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Polk County, North Carolina are landslide, ice storm, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Polk County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Polk County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (9 declarations).
Has Polk County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Polk County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Black Cove Fire Complex (2025), Tropical Storm Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Polk County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Greenville County, SC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and McDowell County, NC has the lowest (Relatively Low). Polk County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Polk County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Polk 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. Polk County's composite score of 37 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 37% of US counties.