Washington County Disaster Risk

Washington County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 17th 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.

Washington County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: tornado (53th percentile), earthquake (49th percentile), flooding (28th percentile), hurricane (26th percentile), wildfire (11th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is tornado at the 53th 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.

Washington County's composite risk percentile is 17th, compared to the Kentucky state average of 44th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Relatively Low. This means Washington County faces lower natural disaster risk than the typical county in Kentucky.

Yes, Washington County's tornado risk is at the 53th percentile nationally. This is above the national median. For flooding specifically, Washington County is at the 28th 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.

Washington County's composite risk score of 17th percentile is below the Kentucky state average of 44th percentile, indicating relatively lower exposure to natural hazards. However, no county is completely risk-free. The primary hazard type is tornado at the 53th percentile. Residents should still maintain emergency preparedness plans and appropriate insurance coverage.