Sussex County, VA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Sussex County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Sussex County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hurricane, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 32 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (74th 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. Sussex County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (8), snowstorm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Tropical Depression Ernesto, Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 19.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 17.3 | 26 | 0 | $200K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 43.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 32.9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 20.8 | 2 | 3 | $2.6M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 73.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 24.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 21 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 34.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 29 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 15.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 13 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 88.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 11 | 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
Sussex County ranks in the 74th 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 | 74th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 70th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 21st | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 92nd | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 89th | 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 | 36th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 36th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 76.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 32 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 8 in 2016–20 vs 24 in 2021–25 .
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, Virginia are drought, hurricane, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Sussex County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Sussex County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (8 declarations).
Has Sussex County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Sussex County include Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Sussex County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Southampton County, VA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Emporia, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Sussex County is rated Very 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 13 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 13% of US counties.