Wilkinson County, MS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wilkinson County has experienced 32 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Wilkinson County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, hurricane, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 41 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (83rd 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. Wilkinson County has been designated in 32 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (13), severe storm (9), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Marco And Tropical Storm Laura |
Showing the 10 most recent of 32 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 | 37.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 33.8 | 7 | 0 | $6.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 28.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 52.9 | 18 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 49 | 9 | 0 | $183K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 80.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 24.3 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 70.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 4.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 44.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 46 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 83.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 47.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 72.3 | 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
Wilkinson County ranks in the 83rd 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 | 83rd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 85th | High |
| Household characteristics | 64th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 97th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 65th | 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 | 59th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 57th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 87.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 41 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 8 in 2016–20 vs 33 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 Wilkinson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wilkinson County, Mississippi are lightning, hurricane, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Wilkinson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wilkinson County has received 32 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (13 declarations).
Has Wilkinson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wilkinson County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Wilkinson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Adams County, MS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Franklin County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Wilkinson County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Wilkinson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wilkinson 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. Wilkinson County's composite score of 34 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 34% of US counties.