Risk Index · Jefferson County · 2026-06-13
Birmingham, AL real-estate risk
- Risk score
- 97.6/100
- Relatively High
- Expected annual loss
- $262M
- all hazards, county-wide
- Buildings-only loss
- $187M
- what owners and insurers carry
- Population
- 674K
- Jefferson County
Birmingham, AL (Jefferson County) carries a FEMA National Risk Index score of 97.6/100, rated "Relatively High" and driven mainly by tornado and riverine flood, with roughly $262M in expected natural-hazard losses per year (FEMA NRI, 2025).
Exhibit 1 · Hazard scores, national percentile
95th percentile- Tornado99.6
- Riverine flood98.1
- Heat wave97.6
- Strong wind97.6
- Earthquake96.1
- Wildfire79.1
- Hurricane76.6
- Hail32.1
- Drought26.8
Each score is the county's percentile against every US county for that hazard (0-100).
What it means for insurance
Severe convective storms (tornado/hail) drive the insurance cost here. Wind/hail deductibles and roof age are what underwriters price, and what's been pushing Midwest/Plains premiums up.
Birmingham risk questions
Is Birmingham, AL a high-risk area for real estate?
Birmingham scores 97.6/100 on FEMA's National Risk Index, rated "Relatively High" versus all US counties. Its expected natural-hazard loss is about $262M per year.
What is the biggest natural hazard in Birmingham?
The highest-rated hazard is tornado (99.6/100), followed by riverine flood (98.1/100).
How does hazard risk affect property insurance in Birmingham?
Severe convective storms (tornado/hail) drive the insurance cost here. Wind/hail deductibles and roof age are what underwriters price, and what's been pushing Midwest/Plains premiums up.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (Counties), v1.20 (2026-06-13). Scores are national percentiles (0-100). Insurance commentary is PropHunt's interpretation of the hazard data, not an insurance quote.