Nelson County Disaster Risk

Nelson County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 34th 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.

Nelson County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: hurricane (68th percentile), flooding (58th percentile), wildfire (47th percentile), earthquake (45th percentile), tornado (20th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is hurricane at the 68th 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.

Nelson County's composite risk percentile is 34th, compared to the Virginia state average of 33th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Nelson County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Virginia.

Yes, Nelson County's hurricane risk is at the 68th percentile nationally. This is above the national median. For flooding specifically, Nelson County is at the 58th 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.

Nelson County's composite risk score of 34th percentile is above the Virginia state average of 33th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by hurricane exposure (68th percentile), along with flooding risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.