Alleghany County Disaster Risk

Alleghany County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 38th 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.

Alleghany County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: flooding (56th percentile), hurricane (55th percentile), earthquake (34th percentile), wildfire (18th percentile), tornado (9th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is flooding at the 56th 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.

Alleghany County's composite risk percentile is 38th, compared to the Virginia state average of 33th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Alleghany County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Virginia.

Yes, Alleghany County's flooding risk is at the 56th percentile nationally. This is above the national median.

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.

Alleghany County's composite risk score of 38th percentile is above the Virginia state average of 33th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by flooding exposure (56th percentile), along with hurricane risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.