Laurel County, Kentucky: hazard risk
FEMA rates Laurel County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 71.7 of 100, higher than 71% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by winter weather. Its storm record holds 720 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 91.4 | $355K |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 90.8 | $1.5M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | 89.5 | $1.0M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88.8 | $5.0M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 83.5 | $3.8M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 79.5 | $1.2M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 78.6 | $972K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 73.8 | $446K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 86.9 | $30K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 77.3 | $1.0M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 64.9 | $8.4M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 44.0 | $50K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 50.9 | $62K |
| Drought | Very Low | 28.3 | $15K |
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 | 343 | 1 | $1.5M | 28th of 118 | 293rd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 129 | 1 | $53M | 17th of 118 | 647th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 83 | 1 | $129K | 81st of 118 | 1247th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 82 | 0 | $509K | 68th of 118 | 480th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 23 | $89M | 41st of 118 | 966th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 17 | 0 | $175K | 51st of 118 | 1108th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 13 | 1 | – | 57th of 118 | 828th of 3,076 |
| Heat | 6 | 2 | – | 55th of 118 | 1224th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 0 | – | 54th of 118 | 779th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 6 | 0 | $205K | 12th of 118 | 509th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 3 | 0 | – | 53rd of 118 | 2121st of 3,063 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Laurel County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.