Hempstead County Disaster Risk

Hempstead County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low, placing it in the 52th percentile nationally out of 3,144 counties. This composite score reflects the county's overall exposure to natural hazards including floods, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes, weighted by expected annual loss and social vulnerability.

Hempstead County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: earthquake (76th percentile), tornado (73th percentile), hurricane (65th percentile), flooding (44th percentile), wildfire (33th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is earthquake at the 76th percentile nationally. These scores are derived from FEMA's National Risk Index, which analyzes expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience for each hazard type.

Hempstead County's composite risk percentile is 52th, compared to the Arkansas state average of 56th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Relatively Low. This means Hempstead County faces lower natural disaster risk than the typical county in Arkansas.

Yes, Hempstead County's earthquake risk is at the 76th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Hempstead County is at the 44th percentile.

FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) calculates risk scores for 18 natural hazard types across all U.S. counties and census tracts. The composite score combines Expected Annual Loss (estimated dollar losses from each hazard), Social Vulnerability (demographic factors affecting disaster impact), and Community Resilience (ability to recover). Percentile scores rank each county against all 3,144 U.S. counties, and risk ratings range from Very Low to Very High.

Hempstead County's composite risk score of 52th percentile is below the Arkansas state average of 56th percentile, indicating relatively lower exposure to natural hazards. However, no county is completely risk-free. The primary hazard type is earthquake at the 76th percentile. Residents should still maintain emergency preparedness plans and appropriate insurance coverage.