Franklin County, Virginia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Franklin County's overall risk Very Low (score 42.7 of 100, higher than 42% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 921 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 72.8 | $862K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 67.3 | $362K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 57.6 | $252K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 79.6 | $12K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 69.2 | $445K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 62.2 | $7.9M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 55.2 | $63K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 36.9 | $38K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 35.2 | $120K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 31.0 | $362K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 55.2 | $296K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 49.3 | $431 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 38.1 | $19K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 25.4 | $82K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 17.9 | $163K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 410 | 1 | $5.4M | 39th of 96 | 589th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 194 | 0 | $390K | 13th of 96 | 760th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 128 | 0 | $5.0M | 49th of 96 | 730th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 62 | 0 | $373K | 94th of 96 | 1651st of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 56 | 0 | $964K | 30th of 96 | 468th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 21 | 0 | $996K | 13th of 96 | 265th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 19 | 0 | $15M | 35th of 96 | 1408th of 3,063 |
| Heavy rain | 15 | 0 | $24K | 75th of 96 | 643rd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 7 | 0 | $656K | 71st of 96 | 1898th of 3,076 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 0 | $773K | 78th of 96 | 2531st of 3,080 |
| Heat | 2 | 0 | – | 70th of 96 | 2259th of 3,076 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 0 | $3K | 61st of 96 | 842nd of 1,849 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Franklin County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.