Natural disaster risk in Kentucky, by county
All 120 counties in Kentucky, ranked by FEMA's National Risk Index composite risk score, with each one's highest-rated hazard. Other states
At a glance
0
Very high risk
1
Relatively high risk
7
Relatively moderate risk
42
Relatively low risk
70
Very low risk
Highest overall risk: Jefferson County (relatively high, score 98.3). Lowest: Robertson County (very low, score 1.7).
Top hazards in Kentucky
| Hazard | Counties rated relatively high or very high | Average score |
|---|---|---|
| Ice storm | 26 of 120 | 53.4 |
| Strong wind | 22 of 120 | 62.2 |
| Winter weather | 7 of 120 | 53.1 |
| Lightning | 7 of 120 | 46.4 |
| Tornado | 6 of 120 | 53.8 |
All counties, highest risk first
| # | County | Overall risk | Highest-rated hazard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson County | Relatively high 98.3 | Tornado (very high) |
| 2 | Floyd County | Relatively moderate 94.2 | Inland (riverine) flooding (relatively high) |
| 3 | Fayette County | Relatively moderate 92 | Tornado (relatively high) |
| 4 | McCracken County | Relatively moderate 89.7 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 5 | Warren County | Relatively moderate 88.5 | Hail (very high) |
| 6 | Daviess County | Relatively moderate 88.1 | Ice storm (very high) |
| 7 | Pike County | Relatively moderate 87.9 | Landslide (relatively high) |
| 8 | Graves County | Relatively moderate 84 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 9 | Christian County | Relatively low 79.6 | Tornado (relatively high) |
| 10 | Pulaski County | Relatively low 79.1 | Winter weather (relatively high) |
| 11 | Kenton County | Relatively low 77.4 | Strong wind (relatively high) |
| 12 | Hardin County | Relatively low 75.5 | Strong wind (relatively high) |
| 13 | Calloway County | Relatively low 75.3 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 14 | Boyd County | Relatively low 74.9 | Heat wave (relatively high) |
| 15 | Madison County | Relatively low 74.8 | Lightning (relatively high) |
| 16 | Knox County | Relatively low 74.7 | Cold wave (relatively high) |
| 17 | Boone County | Relatively low 74.5 | Strong wind (relatively high) |
| 18 | Henderson County | Relatively low 73.2 | Strong wind (relatively high) |
| 19 | Perry County | Relatively low 73.2 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 20 | Hopkins County | Relatively low 72.6 | Ice storm (very high) |
| 21 | Bullitt County | Relatively low 71.8 | Strong wind (relatively high) |
| 22 | Laurel County | Relatively low 71.7 | Winter weather (relatively high) |
| 23 | Johnson County | Relatively low 71.1 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 24 | Bell County | Relatively low 68 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 25 | Barren County | Relatively low 67.9 | Strong wind (relatively high) |
| 26 | Clay County | Relatively low 67.1 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 27 | Letcher County | Relatively low 66.6 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 28 | Harlan County | Relatively low 65.7 | Strong wind (relatively high) |
| 29 | Breathitt County | Relatively low 64.7 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 30 | Franklin County | Relatively low 64.5 | Strong wind (relatively high) |
| 31 | Whitley County | Relatively low 62.2 | Winter weather (relatively moderate) |
| 32 | Marshall County | Relatively low 61.9 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 33 | Shelby County | Relatively low 61.9 | Strong wind (relatively high) |
| 34 | Campbell County | Relatively low 58.3 | Tornado (relatively moderate) |
| 35 | Scott County | Relatively low 56.1 | Strong wind (relatively high) |
| 36 | Oldham County | Relatively low 56 | Strong wind (relatively high) |
| 37 | Nelson County | Relatively low 55.2 | Strong wind (relatively high) |
| 38 | Wayne County | Relatively low 54.7 | Cold wave (relatively high) |
| 39 | Logan County | Relatively low 54.6 | Cold wave (relatively moderate) |
| 40 | Ohio County | Relatively low 54.2 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 41 | Lawrence County | Relatively low 53.3 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 42 | Muhlenberg County | Relatively low 53.2 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 43 | Carter County | Relatively low 52.7 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 44 | Greenup County | Relatively low 52.6 | Heat wave (relatively moderate) |
| 45 | Knott County | Relatively low 52.1 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 46 | Martin County | Relatively low 49.9 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 47 | Trigg County | Relatively low 48.4 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 48 | Rowan County | Relatively low 47.9 | Lightning (relatively moderate) |
| 49 | Fulton County | Relatively low 46.8 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 50 | Grayson County | Relatively low 45.3 | Hail (relatively moderate) |
| 51 | Union County | Very low 42.8 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 52 | Estill County | Very low 41.8 | Inland (riverine) flooding (relatively low) |
| 53 | Boyle County | Very low 41.6 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 54 | Lewis County | Very low 41.5 | Landslide (relatively low) |
| 55 | Mercer County | Very low 41.4 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 56 | Hart County | Very low 41.1 | Hail (relatively moderate) |
| 57 | Meade County | Very low 40.9 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 58 | McLean County | Very low 40.7 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 59 | Woodford County | Very low 40 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 60 | Jessamine County | Very low 39.8 | Strong wind (relatively high) |
| 61 | Ballard County | Very low 39.6 | Drought (relatively high) |
| 62 | Breckinridge County | Very low 39.5 | Hail (relatively moderate) |
| 63 | Adair County | Very low 39.4 | Winter weather (relatively moderate) |
| 64 | Bourbon County | Very low 39.4 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 65 | Mason County | Very low 39.2 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 66 | Caldwell County | Very low 39 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 67 | Taylor County | Very low 38.7 | Strong wind (relatively high) |
| 68 | Clark County | Very low 38.3 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 69 | Casey County | Very low 37.1 | Winter weather (relatively moderate) |
| 70 | Rockcastle County | Very low 36.1 | Winter weather (relatively moderate) |
| 71 | Hickman County | Very low 35.8 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 72 | Magoffin County | Very low 35 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 73 | Montgomery County | Very low 34.3 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 74 | Harrison County | Very low 33.8 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 75 | Allen County | Very low 33.3 | Hail (relatively moderate) |
| 76 | Lincoln County | Very low 32.6 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 77 | Russell County | Very low 31.9 | Winter weather (relatively moderate) |
| 78 | Leslie County | Very low 31.7 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 79 | Powell County | Very low 31.2 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 80 | Fleming County | Very low 31 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 81 | Crittenden County | Very low 30.4 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 82 | Garrard County | Very low 30.2 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 83 | Marion County | Very low 30.2 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 84 | Cumberland County | Very low 30.1 | Inland (riverine) flooding (relatively low) |
| 85 | Pendleton County | Very low 29.9 | Lightning (relatively moderate) |
| 86 | Webster County | Very low 29.2 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 87 | Lyon County | Very low 28.9 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 88 | Hancock County | Very low 28.8 | Ice storm (relatively moderate) |
| 89 | Todd County | Very low 28.6 | Ice storm (relatively moderate) |
| 90 | Livingston County | Very low 27.1 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 91 | Simpson County | Very low 27 | Hail (relatively moderate) |
| 92 | Monroe County | Very low 26.7 | Hail (relatively moderate) |
| 93 | Anderson County | Very low 26.3 | Ice storm (relatively moderate) |
| 94 | McCreary County | Very low 25.3 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 95 | Clinton County | Very low 24.5 | Cold wave (relatively low) |
| 96 | Jackson County | Very low 24.2 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 97 | Carroll County | Very low 23.4 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 98 | Morgan County | Very low 22.1 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 99 | Metcalfe County | Very low 21.8 | Hail (relatively low) |
| 100 | Nicholas County | Very low 19 | Strong wind (relatively low) |
| 101 | Carlisle County | Very low 18.7 | Ice storm (relatively high) |
| 102 | Wolfe County | Very low 18.5 | Landslide (relatively moderate) |
| 103 | Butler County | Very low 18.1 | Hail (relatively moderate) |
| 104 | Gallatin County | Very low 17.3 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 105 | Washington County | Very low 16.7 | Hail (relatively low) |
| 106 | Grant County | Very low 16.3 | Lightning (relatively moderate) |
| 107 | Henry County | Very low 15.7 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 108 | Owen County | Very low 15.2 | Tornado (relatively low) |
| 109 | Green County | Very low 14 | Hail (relatively low) |
| 110 | Bath County | Very low 13.7 | Lightning (relatively moderate) |
| 111 | Spencer County | Very low 13.3 | Tornado (relatively low) |
| 112 | Larue County | Very low 12.4 | Hail (relatively low) |
| 113 | Elliott County | Very low 12.2 | Landslide (relatively low) |
| 114 | Bracken County | Very low 12 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 115 | Trimble County | Very low 11.9 | Strong wind (relatively moderate) |
| 116 | Edmonson County | Very low 11 | Hail (relatively moderate) |
| 117 | Lee County | Very low 7.5 | Landslide (relatively low) |
| 118 | Owsley County | Very low 6.4 | Landslide (relatively low) |
| 119 | Menifee County | Very low 6.2 | Landslide (relatively low) |
| 120 | Robertson County | Very low 1.7 | Strong wind (relatively low) |
How to read these ratings
- Ratings run in five steps: very low, relatively low, relatively moderate, relatively high and very high. They compare a county with every other US county; they are not a measure of danger on their own.
- Scores run from 0 to 100 and are national percentiles. The bar shows the score: a score of 80 means a higher value than 80% of US counties.
- Overall risk combines the expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience.
- Expected annual loss is the average yearly loss to buildings, people and agriculture the model expects from all 18 hazards.
- Social vulnerability describes how hard it may be for people to prepare for and recover from a disaster. Higher is worse.
- Community resilience describes a community's ability to prepare, adapt and recover. Higher is better.
- "Not applicable" means FEMA does not model that hazard there (for example, hurricanes far inland).
About this data
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, version 1.20, released December 2025, published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (US public domain). About the National Risk Index. The index is a model of relative risk built from historical hazard records, what is exposed and community factors. It is not a forecast, it does not describe any single property, and it is not insurance or financial advice. For decisions about a specific address, check FEMA's flood maps and your local emergency management office.
Questions
Which county in Kentucky has the highest natural disaster risk?
Jefferson County has the highest composite risk score in Kentucky in FEMA's National Risk Index: 98.3, rated relatively high.
Which county in Kentucky has the lowest natural disaster risk?
Robertson County has the lowest composite risk score in Kentucky: 1.7, rated very low. A low score means lower modelled risk compared with other US counties, not no risk.
What natural disasters is Kentucky most at risk from?
Across Kentucky, the hazards rated highest in the most counties are ice storm, strong wind, winter weather, according to FEMA's National Risk Index. Each county page lists all 18 hazards.
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