Sussex County, NJ
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Sussex County has experienced 28 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Remnants Of Hurricane Ida in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Sussex County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, cold wave, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (5th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Sussex County has been designated in 28 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (9), severe storm (7), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Isaias |
| 2021 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
Showing the 10 most recent of 28 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 | 36.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 77.3 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 71.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 59.8 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 44.1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 71.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 8.3 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 98.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 78.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 54 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 93.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 66.7 | 2 | 1 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 50.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 86.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 30.3 | — | — | — |
| 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
Sussex County ranks in the 5th percentile (Very low) 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 | 5th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 13th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 4th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 47th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 5th | Very low |
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 | 37th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 36th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 79.9% | — |
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 Sussex County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Sussex County, New Jersey are strong wind, cold wave, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Sussex County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Sussex County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (9 declarations).
Has Sussex County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Sussex County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Remnants Of Hurricane Ida in 2021.
How does Sussex County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Essex County, NJ has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Pike County, PA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Sussex County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Sussex County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Sussex 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. Sussex County's composite score of 77 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 77% of US counties.