Henderson County, Kentucky Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · KY
LowComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 73th
Henderson County faces low composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 73.2, 73th national percentile), driven primarily by earthquake and strong wind exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $29M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
Overall natural disaster risk in Henderson County is low, with a National Risk Index score of 73.2 out of 100 — placing it in the 73rd national percentile and below the national average for natural-disaster risk. The score blends Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across all 18 FEMA hazard types.
Risk here concentrates in earthquake (ground shaking from sudden movement along geologic faults) at Medium risk — $8M in expected annual loss and about 0.01 events per year; strong wind (damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes) at High risk — $2M in expected annual loss and about 4.36 events per year; and ice storm (freezing rain that coats surfaces in heavy, damaging ice) at High risk — $587K in expected annual loss and about 1.24 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $29M in expected annual loss for a population of 45K.
Beyond physical exposure, Henderson County has a medium social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a medium community resilience rating (its capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters). Both measures sit toward the lower end, indicating relatively modest population sensitivity.
History supports the rating: Henderson County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1996, including 14 for severe storm events and 2 for biological events. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm (winter storm), declared in January 2026.
Among 120 Kentucky counties, Henderson County ranks #18 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Earthquake | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $8M |
| Strong Wind | High | 4.36 / yr | $2M |
| Ice Storm | High | 1.24 / yr | $587K |
| Winter Weather | Medium | 8.05 / yr | $151K |
| Riverine Flood | Medium | 3.11 / yr | $14M |
| Heat Wave | Low | 8.21 / yr | $984K |
| Drought | Medium | 6.30 / yr | $510K |
| Hail | Low | 2.99 / yr | $364K |
| Tornado | Low | 0.34 / yr | $1M |
| Lightning | Low | 52.76 / yr | $205K |
| Cold Wave | Low | 1.05 / yr | $685K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $12K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 0.28 / yr | $76 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $2K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Coastal Flood | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Disaster History
Henderson County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1996, most recently Severe Winter Storm in January 2026. Most frequent causes: Severe Storm (14), Biological (2), Severe Ice Storm (2).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| April 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| February 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| February 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Landslides |
| April 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| April 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| April 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Henderson County?
Henderson County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 73.2 out of 100, placing it in the Low category and the 73th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Henderson County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Earthquake (Medium, $8M EAL), Strong Wind (High, $2M EAL), Ice Storm (High, $587K EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Henderson County compare to other Kentucky counties?
Henderson County ranks #18 of 120 Kentucky counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a low rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Henderson County had?
FEMA records 23 federal disaster declarations for Henderson County since 1996, most often 14 for severe storm events and 2 for biological events. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm, declared in January 2026.
What does Expected Annual Loss (EAL) mean?
EAL is FEMA's estimate of average annual dollar losses from natural hazards, calculated from historical event data and exposure models. Henderson County's $29M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.