Newton County Disaster Risk

Newton 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.

Newton County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: tornado (83th percentile), hurricane (80th percentile), earthquake (58th percentile), wildfire (39th percentile), flooding (37th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is tornado at the 83th 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.

Newton County's composite risk percentile is 52th, compared to the Mississippi state average of 51th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Relatively Low. This means Newton County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Mississippi.

Yes, Newton County's tornado risk is at the 83th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Newton County is at the 37th 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.

Newton County's composite risk score of 52th percentile is above the Mississippi state average of 51th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by tornado exposure (83th percentile), along with hurricane and earthquake risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.