Wake County, NC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wake County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1968, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Wake County's highest-rated hazards are hail, inland flooding, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 312 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Wake County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1968, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (11), snowstorm (3), severe storm (3).
| 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 |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 total declarations since 1968.
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 | 57.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 97.7 | 169 | 1 | $72.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 87.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 96.9 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 95.3 | 5 | 0 | $1.3M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 89.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 98.5 | 125 | 0 | $110.0M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 49.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 84.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 90.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 91.7 | 8 | 1 | $282K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 51.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 71.1 | 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
Wake County ranks in the 36th percentile (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 | 36th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 25th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 32nd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 80th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 43rd | 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 | 27th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 26th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 53.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 312 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 152 in 2016–20 vs 160 in 2021–25 (+5% — 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 Wake County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wake County, North Carolina are hail, inland flooding, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Wake County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wake County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1968, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (11 declarations).
Has Wake County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wake County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1968.
How does Wake County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Durham County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Franklin County, NC has the lowest (Relatively Low). Wake County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Wake County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wake 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. Wake County's composite score of 96 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 96% of US counties.