Rockcastle County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Rockcastle County has experienced 34 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Rockcastle County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, winter weather, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 32% 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. Rockcastle County has been designated in 34 declarations since 1974, covering 10 disaster types including severe storm (14), flood (4), snowstorm (4).
| 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, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2025 | Tropical Storm | Remnants Of Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 34 total declarations since 1974.
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 | 47.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 53 | 29 | 0 | $645K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 40.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 40.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 48.9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 35.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 61.1 | 11 | 0 | $10 |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 58.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 62.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 38.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 54.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 45.3 | 1 | 0 | $50K |
| Drought | Very Low | 22.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 85 | 2 | 0 | $12K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 12.7 | — | — | — |
| 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
Rockcastle County ranks in the 53rd 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 | 53rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 64th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 42nd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 1st | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 66th | Moderate |
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 | 75th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 70th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 85.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 44 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 19 in 2016–20 vs 25 in 2021–25 (+32% — 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 Rockcastle County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Rockcastle County, Kentucky are landslide, winter weather, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Rockcastle County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Rockcastle County has received 34 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (14 declarations).
Has Rockcastle County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Rockcastle County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2025), Remnants Of Hurricane Helene (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1974.
How does Rockcastle County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pulaski County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Jackson County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Rockcastle County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Rockcastle County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Rockcastle 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. Rockcastle County's composite score of 36 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 36% of US counties.