Woodford County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Woodford County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1979, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Woodford County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, tornado, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (18th 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. Woodford County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1979, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (12), flood (4), snowstorm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Flood | Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 total declarations since 1979.
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 | 7.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 48 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 58 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 28.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 73.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 33.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 52.8 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 80.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 57.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 57 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 45.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 54.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 21.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 15.9 | 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
Woodford County ranks in the 18th 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 | 18th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 11th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 67th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 41st | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 14th | 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 | 18th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 16th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 66.6% | — |
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 Woodford County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Woodford County, Kentucky are strong wind, tornado, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Woodford County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Woodford County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1979, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Woodford County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Woodford County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1979.
How does Woodford County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Fayette County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Anderson County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Woodford County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Woodford County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Woodford 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. Woodford County's composite score of 40 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 40% of US counties.