Smith County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Smith County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Smith County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, hail, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 29% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (73rd 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. Smith County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1969, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (8), hurricane (8), winter storm (2).
| 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, And Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 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 | 47.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 40.8 | 22 | 0 | $326K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 49 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 56 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 71.2 | 32 | 0 | $4.0M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 83.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 81.9 | 11 | 0 | $315K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 62.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 32.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 53.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 47 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 52.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 60.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 64.3 | 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
Smith County ranks in the 73rd 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 | 73rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 63rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 87th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 62nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 55th | 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 | 62nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 58th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 96.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 65 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 38 in 2016–20 vs 27 in 2021–25 (-29% — 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 Smith County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Smith County, Mississippi are hurricane, hail, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Smith County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Smith County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (8 declarations).
Has Smith County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Smith County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Smith County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Rankin County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Jasper County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Smith County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Smith County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Smith 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. Smith County's composite score of 47 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 47% of US counties.