Rankin County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Rankin County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Rankin County's highest-rated hazards are hail, tornado, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 19% 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. Rankin County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1969, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (10), severe storm (6), winter storm (2).
| 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 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 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 | Very Low | 55.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 79.6 | 154 | 1 | $5.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 81.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 92.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 94.7 | 40 | 0 | $3.6M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 81.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 98.3 | 59 | 0 | $9.7M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 91.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 81.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 86.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 84.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 87.9 | 10 | 1 | $656K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 65.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 58.5 | 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
Rankin County ranks in the 37th 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 | 37th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 32nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 34th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 64th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 42nd | 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 | 58th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 55th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 55.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 263 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 145 in 2016–20 vs 118 in 2021–25 (-19% — 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 Rankin County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Rankin County, Mississippi are hail, tornado, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Rankin County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Rankin County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (10 declarations).
Has Rankin County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Rankin County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Rankin County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Hinds County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Smith County, MS has the lowest (Relatively Low). Rankin County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Rankin County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Rankin 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. Rankin County's composite score of 85 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 85% of US counties.