Coastal Flood Risk in Virginia
All Virginia counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index coastal flood score
Coastal Flood risk — seawater inundation from storm surge, high tides, and rising sea levels — is rated for 46 of 133 Virginia counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Accomack County carries the state's highest coastal flood score at 96.8, with $11M in expected annual coastal flood losses.
2 Virginia counties are rated High or Very High for coastal flood, and expected annual losses from coastal flood total roughly $32M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Coastal Flood
| # | County | Coastal Flood Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accomack County | Very High | 3.69 / yr | $11M | |
| 2 | Norfolk City | High | 3.65 / yr | $3M | |
| 3 | Chesapeake City | Medium | 3.65 / yr | $3M | |
| 4 | Hampton City | Medium | 3.69 / yr | $2M | |
| 5 | Mathews County | Medium | 3.69 / yr | $2M | |
| 6 | Northumberland County | Medium | 3.68 / yr | $668K | |
| 7 | Virginia Beach City | Medium | 3.43 / yr | $1M | |
| 8 | Gloucester County | Medium | 3.69 / yr | $996K | |
| 9 | Westmoreland County | Medium | 3.65 / yr | $582K | |
| 10 | Portsmouth City | Medium | 3.65 / yr | $734K | |
| 11 | Poquoson City | Medium | 3.69 / yr | $1M | |
| 12 | Isle of Wight County | Medium | 3.65 / yr | $802K | |
| 13 | Suffolk City | Medium | 3.66 / yr | $707K | |
| 14 | Lancaster County | Medium | 3.69 / yr | $394K | |
| 15 | Newport News City | Low | 3.67 / yr | $527K | |
| 16 | Middlesex County | Low | 3.69 / yr | $287K | |
| 17 | York County | Low | 3.69 / yr | $650K | |
| 18 | Northampton County | Low | 3.72 / yr | $245K | |
| 19 | Alexandria City | Low | 3.76 / yr | $408K | |
| 20 | Essex County | Low | 3.69 / yr | $241K | |
| 21 | James City County | Low | 3.69 / yr | $275K | |
| 22 | New Kent County | Low | 3.69 / yr | $218K | |
| 23 | Fairfax County | Low | 3.76 / yr | $230K | |
| 24 | King and Queen County | Low | 3.69 / yr | $107K | |
| 25 | King William County | Low | 3.69 / yr | $206K | |
| 26 | Prince William County | Low | 3.73 / yr | $110K | |
| 27 | Hopewell City | Low | 3.69 / yr | $51K | |
| 28 | Richmond County | Low | 3.69 / yr | $57K | |
| 29 | Stafford County | Low | 3.69 / yr | $93K | |
| 30 | Charles City County | Low | 3.69 / yr | $36K | |
| 31 | Chesterfield County | Low | 3.69 / yr | $67K | |
| 32 | King George County | Low | 3.69 / yr | $59K | |
| 33 | Colonial Heights City | Very Low | 3.69 / yr | $42K | |
| 34 | Surry County | Very Low | 3.69 / yr | $23K | |
| 35 | Arlington County | Very Low | 3.76 / yr | $34K | |
| 36 | Prince George County | Very Low | 3.69 / yr | $23K | |
| 37 | Richmond City | Very Low | 3.72 / yr | $15K | |
| 38 | Williamsburg City | Very Low | 3.69 / yr | $19K | |
| 39 | Petersburg City | Very Low | 3.69 / yr | $8K | |
| 40 | Henrico County | Very Low | 3.69 / yr | $10K | |
| 41 | Caroline County | Very Low | 3.76 / yr | $3K | |
| 42 | Hanover County | Very Low | 3.69 / yr | $3K | |
| 43 | Southampton County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $453 | |
| 44 | Spotsylvania County | Very Low | 3.76 / yr | $91 | |
| 45 | Fredericksburg City | Very Low | 0.16 / yr | $12 | |
| 46 | Franklin City | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $2 |
46 Virginia counties with measurable coastal flood risk. See the national coastal flood ranking or all Virginia counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Virginia county has the highest coastal flood risk?
Accomack County has the highest FEMA coastal flood risk score in Virginia at 96.8 (Very High), with $11M in expected annual losses and about 3.69 events per year.
How many Virginia counties face significant coastal flood risk?
46 Virginia counties record measurable coastal flood risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 2 of them are rated High or Very High.