Richmond County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Richmond County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Hurricane Henri in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Richmond County's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, strong wind, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 23% 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. Richmond County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1965, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (9), severe storm (4), snowstorm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Isaias |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Henri |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2011 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 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 | Very Low | 31.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 92 | 21 | 0 | $60.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 81.4 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 91.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 98.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 83.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 90.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 68.2 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 93.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 89.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 65.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 89.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 61.9 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Drought | Very Low | 22.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 50.8 | 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
Richmond County ranks in the 60th 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 | 60th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 44th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 33rd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 80th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 81st | 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 | 25th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 25th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 2.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 29 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 13 in 2016–20 vs 16 in 2021–25 (+23% — frequency increasing).
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 Richmond County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Richmond County, New York are heat wave, strong wind, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Richmond County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Richmond County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (9 declarations).
Has Richmond County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Richmond County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Hurricane Henri in 2021.
How does Richmond County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Kings County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Union County, NJ has the lowest (Relatively High). Richmond County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Richmond County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Richmond 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. Richmond County's composite score of 91 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 91% of US counties.