Sampson County, NC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Sampson County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1984, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Sampson County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, hurricane, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 55 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (95th 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. Sampson County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1984, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (17), severe storm (2), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Eta |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 total declarations since 1984.
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 | 69.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 69.6 | 35 | 1 | $17.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 73.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 79.1 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 80.2 | 6 | 0 | $4.5M |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 97.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 85.2 | 7 | 0 | $3K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 97.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 95 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 79.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 69.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 75.8 | 2 | 0 | $10K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 88.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 29.9 | 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
Sampson County ranks in the 95th 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 | 95th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 93rd | High |
| Household characteristics | 87th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 87th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 87th | 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 | 53rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 54th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 76.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 55 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 27 in 2016–20 vs 28 in 2021–25 (+4% — relatively stable).
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 Sampson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Sampson County, North Carolina are strong wind, hurricane, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Sampson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Sampson County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1984, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (17 declarations).
Has Sampson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Sampson County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1984.
How does Sampson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Wayne County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Harnett County, NC has the lowest (Relatively Low). Sampson County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Sampson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Sampson 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. Sampson County's composite score of 90 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 90% of US counties.