Scotland County, NC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Scotland County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1984, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Scotland County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, wildfire, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (100th 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. Scotland County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1984, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (12), biological (2), tropical storm (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 |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 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 | 82 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 56.4 | 9 | 2 | $8.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 81.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 71.6 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 87 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 62.4 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 72.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 67.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 71.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 45.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 57.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 47.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 11.9 | 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
Scotland County ranks in the 100th 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 | 100th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 99th | High |
| Household characteristics | 82nd | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 91st | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 100th | 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 | 83rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 81st | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 73.8% | — |
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 Scotland County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Scotland County, North Carolina are hurricane, wildfire, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Scotland County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Scotland County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1984, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (12 declarations).
Has Scotland County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Scotland 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 Scotland County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Robeson County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Hoke County, NC has the lowest (Relatively Low). Scotland County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Scotland County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Scotland 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. Scotland County's composite score of 64 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 64% of US counties.