Cabarrus County, North Carolina Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · NC
MediumComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 87th
Cabarrus County faces medium composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 87.1, 87th national percentile), driven primarily by ice storm and riverine flood exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $86M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
Overall natural disaster risk in Cabarrus County is medium, with a National Risk Index score of 87.1 out of 100 — placing it in the 87th national percentile and near the national midpoint 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 ice storm (freezing rain that coats surfaces in heavy, damaging ice) at Very High risk — $3M in expected annual loss and about 2.18 events per year; riverine flood (rivers and streams overflowing their banks after heavy rain or snowmelt) at Medium risk — $65M in expected annual loss and about 2.25 events per year; and tornado (violently rotating columns of air capable of catastrophic local damage) at Medium risk — $9M in expected annual loss and about 0.17 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $86M in expected annual loss for a population of 226K.
Beyond physical exposure, Cabarrus County has a very low social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a high community resilience rating (its capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters). A less vulnerable population paired with strong resilience helps the community absorb and recover from events.
The county's disaster history tells the same story: Cabarrus County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including 8 for hurricane events and 3 for tropical storm events. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm (winter storm), declared in January 2026.
Among 100 North Carolina counties, Cabarrus County ranks #22 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Ice Storm | Very High | 2.18 / yr | $3M |
| Riverine Flood | Medium | 2.25 / yr | $65M |
| Tornado | Medium | 0.17 / yr | $9M |
| Lightning | High | 50.70 / yr | $1M |
| Earthquake | Low | 0.00 / yr | $2M |
| Strong Wind | Medium | 2.29 / yr | $1M |
| Hurricane | Low | 0.09 / yr | $1M |
| Winter Weather | Medium | 5.26 / yr | $198K |
| Heat Wave | Low | 2.68 / yr | $1M |
| Cold Wave | Medium | 0.32 / yr | $2M |
| Hail | Low | 4.59 / yr | $450K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 0.28 / yr | $2K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $65K |
| Drought | Low | 24.64 / yr | $169K |
| 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
Cabarrus County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in January 2026. Most frequent causes: Hurricane (8), Tropical Storm (3), Biological (2).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| September 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| September 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| August 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| August 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| September 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| September 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Cabarrus County?
Cabarrus County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 87.1 out of 100, placing it in the Medium category and the 87th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Cabarrus County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Ice Storm (Very High, $3M EAL), Riverine Flood (Medium, $65M EAL), Tornado (Medium, $9M EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Cabarrus County compare to other North Carolina counties?
Cabarrus County ranks #22 of 100 North Carolina counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a medium rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Cabarrus County had?
FEMA records 19 federal disaster declarations for Cabarrus County since 1977, most often 8 for hurricane events and 3 for tropical storm 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. Cabarrus County's $86M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.