Riskiest Counties for Drought

Ranked by FEMA National Risk Index drought hazard score · code DRGT

Drought risk reflects extended dry periods that stress water supplies and agriculture. FEMA's National Risk Index scores each county's drought hazard from its expected annual loss, annualized event frequency, and exposed population. Fresno County, California currently leads the nation with a drought score of 100.0 and $223M in expected annual loss. California, Texas, Mississippi account for much of the highest-rated drought risk in this dataset.

Read the full drought risk guide — how FEMA scores it and how to prepare →

County Rankings

#CountyStateDrought ScoreRatingAnn. Freq.Ann. Loss
1Fresno CountyCA
100.0
Very High 88.24 / yr$223M
2Monterey CountyCA
100.0
Very High 94.43 / yr$81M
3San Joaquin CountyCA
99.9
Very High 68.55 / yr$83M
4Merced CountyCA
99.9
Very High 74.16 / yr$70M
5Madera CountyCA
99.9
Very High 84.81 / yr$63M
6Santa Barbara CountyCA
99.8
Very High 83.14 / yr$65M
7Stanislaus CountyCA
99.8
Very High 73.59 / yr$71M
8Lubbock CountyTX
99.8
Very High 76.01 / yr$62M
9Butte CountyCA
99.7
Very High 66.57 / yr$26M
10Kings CountyCA
99.7
Very High 76.77 / yr$34M
11Parmer CountyTX
99.7
Very High 100.13 / yr$43M
12Colusa CountyCA
99.7
Very High 84.37 / yr$29M
13San Luis Obispo CountyCA
99.6
Very High 89.59 / yr$29M
14Yolo CountyCA
99.6
Very High 75.35 / yr$29M
15Sutter CountyCA
99.6
Very High 64.85 / yr$21M
16Napa CountyCA
99.5
Very High 60.05 / yr$21M
17Warren CountyMS
99.5
Very High 14.46 / yr$15M
18Glenn CountyCA
99.5
High 85.27 / yr$21M
19Sacramento CountyCA
99.4
High 62.96 / yr$14M
20Santa Cruz CountyCA
99.4
High 38.24 / yr$18M
21Doña Ana CountyNM
99.4
High 73.79 / yr$11M
22Sonoma CountyCA
99.3
High 33.50 / yr$14M
23Solano CountyCA
99.3
High 67.40 / yr$12M
24Cimarron CountyOK
99.3
High 151.01 / yr$7M
25Santa Clara CountyCA
99.2
High 63.64 / yr$11M

Showing the top 25 seeded counties for drought risk.

Drought Risk by State

DelawareNew JerseyCaliforniaConnecticutArizonaMassachusettsFloridaHawaiiSouth CarolinaWashingtonNew HampshireNew YorkPennsylvaniaNorth CarolinaOregonLouisianaAlabamaMarylandWisconsinNew MexicoMaineRhode IslandOklahomaArkansasOhioIllinoisTennesseeMississippiMissouriMichiganWest VirginiaTexasNevadaIndianaKentuckyMinnesotaColoradoIowaGeorgiaIdahoWyomingUtahVirginiaMontanaKansasSouth DakotaNebraskaNorth Dakota