How to read FEMA risk scores
FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release
FEMA's National Risk Index gives every county a score from 0 to 100 and a rating from Very Low to Very High. The score places a county against all others; the rating groups scores, and the groups are not equal: 1,345 counties are rated Very Low and 17 Very High. The index combines expected annual loss from 18 hazards with social vulnerability and community resilience; it is a model of future loss, not a count of past disasters.
By PlainHazard Editorial · Updated · How this was measured
What each field means
- Risk score and rating
- The composite index, 0 to 100, and its rating band.
- Expected annual loss
- Modeled dollars lost a year to the 18 hazards (buildings, people valued in dollars, agriculture).
- Social vulnerability
- How susceptible the population is to adverse impacts.
- Community resilience
- The community's capacity to prepare for, adapt to and recover from hazards.
How the ratings are distributed
Ratings are bands of the score: in this release, Very Low covers scores 0-43 and Very High 99-100. Because the bands are not equal shares, a Relatively High rating already places a county among the top 6% of counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
The highest-scored counties
| County | Score | Expected annual loss | Social vulnerability | Resilience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County, CA | 100.0 | $7.6B | Relatively Moderate | Very Low |
| Cook County, IL | 100.0 | $2.4B | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| Harris County, TX | 99.9 | $2.2B | Relatively High | Very Low |
| Riverside County, CA | 99.9 | $2.3B | Relatively Low | Very Low |
| Maricopa County, AZ | 99.9 | $2.2B | Relatively Low | Very Low |
| San Bernardino County, CA | 99.8 | $2.1B | Relatively Low | Relatively Low |
| Orange County, CA | 99.8 | $1.9B | Relatively Low | Very Low |
| Alameda County, CA | 99.8 | $1.9B | Relatively Low | Very High |
| Santa Clara County, CA | 99.7 | $2.0B | Very Low | Relatively High |
| San Diego County, CA | 99.7 | $1.5B | Relatively Low | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release.
Which hazards drive modeled loss nationally?
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release, county expected annual loss summed.
How this was measured
The distributions below are measured on the county table FEMA publishes (one row per county or county equivalent). Field names are FEMA's own: National Risk Index score and rating (composite), Expected Annual Loss (total and score), Social Vulnerability score and rating, Community Resilience score and rating.
Sources
FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release (ArcGIS service National_Risk_Index_Counties).
Limits
The National Risk Index is a model. FEMA revises its inputs and method between releases, so a county's score can change without any change on the ground; compare scores within one release. Connecticut is rated by planning region, not by county.