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Counties with the most emergency shelters in Alabama

As climate change drives weather to greater extremes, and devastating hurricanes, wildfires, droughts, and blizzards preoccupy an increasing number of Americans, it is hard to avoid comparing the reality of everyday news coverage to the computer-generated images seen in disaster movies.

Over the last 50 years, natural disasters have become five times more common due to climate change, according to the World Meteorological Organization. They’ve also become more economically debilitating—the five most expensive climate disasters in American history have all taken place over the last two decades.

The increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters means that the need for emergency evacuation and shelter plans has never been greater. According to the Federal Emergency Management Association, understanding your climate risk, or proximity to probable natural disaster, is an important first step for making a plan. Tools like the Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation allow you to assess your risk by location.

Knowing where nearby emergency shelters are located is another way to prepare for the worst. In the event of flooding, hurricane-level winds, or other disasters, emergency shelters offer a place to sleep, and also often provide food, water, and first aid services. Stacker examined the Department of Homeland Security’s National Shelter System Facilities database to identify the counties with the most emergency shelters in Alabama. Counties are ranked by emergency shelters per 100K people, with total capacity per 100K people serving as a tiebreaker.

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#50. Baldwin County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 13.2 (30 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 2,298,734 people (5,221,137 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 4
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#49. Marshall County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 13.4 (13 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 1,795,202 people (1,744,559 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

Rivers Langley SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#48. Russell County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 13.6 (8 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 2,456,035 people (1,441,570 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons

#47. Coffee County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 17.0 (9 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 2,308,908 people (1,224,714 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 2
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 3

Rudi Weikard // Wikimedia Commons

#46. Marion County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 17.0 (5 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 1,252,610 people (368,167 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#45. Chambers County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 17.2 (6 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 1,265,947 people (440,980 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#44. Walker County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 19.9 (13 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 2,725,746 people (1,777,023 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#43. Chilton County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 20.1 (9 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 1,475,406 people (661,823 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#42. Tuscaloosa County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 21.0 (47 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 2,382,491 people (5,335,469 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 2
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#41. Colbert County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 21.1 (12 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 1,552,054 people (881,396 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 2
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#40. Winston County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 21.1 (5 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 3,908,000 people (924,242 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

Rudi Weikard // Wikimedia Commons

#39. Blount County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 22.1 (13 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 5,471,712 people (3,221,963 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#38. Bibb County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 22.3 (5 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 2,776,330 people (622,231 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

Carol M. Highsmith // Wikimedia Commons

#37. Limestone County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 22.7 (23 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 6,955,988 people (7,040,642 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#36. Randolph County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 22.7 (5 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 6,773,322 people (1,489,047 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 1
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

Carol M. Highsmith/Library of Congress // Wikimedia Commons

#35. Houston County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 23.5 (25 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 4,703,832 people (5,002,761 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 4
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

Kreeder13 // Wikimedia Commons

#34. Pike County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 24.1 (8 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 5,104,383 people (1,693,430 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

Rudi Weikard // Wikimedia Commons

#33. Franklin County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 25.0 (8 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 1,837,276 people (588,553 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 1
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#32. Marengo County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 25.8 (5 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 3,336,140 people (647,111 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#31. Cullman County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 26.4 (23 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 4,833,872 people (4,211,704 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 2
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

Carol M. Highsmith // Wikimedia Commons

#30. Hale County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 27.0 (4 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 1,982,259 people (293,751 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#29. Lauderdale County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 27.9 (26 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 2,048,961 people (1,912,541 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#28. Coosa County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 28.7 (3 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 7,493,871 people (782,510 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Henry County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 29.1 (5 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 2,133,452 people (366,207 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#26. Covington County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 29.3 (11 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 2,893,468 people (1,084,761 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#25. Morgan County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 29.4 (36 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 3,518,909 people (4,314,464 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 2
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Crenshaw County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 30.1 (4 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 8,614,030 people (1,145,666 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#23. Escambia County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 32.5 (12 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 4,627,455 people (1,706,559 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 1
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#22. Lamar County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 35.9 (5 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 10,021,595 people (1,395,908 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

Chris Pruitt // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Butler County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 36.5 (7 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 10,009,436 people (1,919,910 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#20. Geneva County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 37.6 (10 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 8,173,733 people (2,174,540 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 1
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#19. Cleburne County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 39.9 (6 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 14,017,360 people (2,109,052 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#18. Dallas County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 40.9 (16 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 5,837,460 people (2,286,066 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 2
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#17. Calhoun County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 41.2 (48 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 11,705,996 people (13,628,706 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 1
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#16. Conecuh County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 42.5 (5 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 12,727,611 people (1,499,058 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 1
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

Rudi Weikard // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Cherokee County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 44.0 (11 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 6,554,923 people (1,637,092 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

Carol M. Highsmith // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Monroe County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 44.7 (9 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 4,659,055 people (937,169 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#13. Lawrence County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 45.3 (15 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 5,792,626 people (1,916,722 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 1
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#12. Fayette County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 48.9 (8 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 5,158,503 people (844,189 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 1
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#11. Greene County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 50.9 (4 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 3,752,656 people (294,621 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#10. Etowah County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 52.2 (54 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 12,278,369 people (12,704,183 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 1
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#9. Tallapoosa County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 53.3 (22 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 5,268,126 people (2,174,893 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

RuralSWAlabama (Billy Milstead) // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Choctaw County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 54.7 (7 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 15,110,608 people (1,932,949 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#7. Clarke County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 55.7 (13 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 10,103,195 people (2,358,692 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 1
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#6. Wilcox County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 56.1 (6 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 11,679,571 people (1,248,079 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#5. Sumter County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 64.1 (8 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 13,170,109 people (1,643,893 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#4. Washington County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 64.2 (10 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 10,239,110 people (1,594,639 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 2
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#3. Talladega County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 66.0 (54 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 20,334,572 people (16,643,847 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 4
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#2. Perry County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 68.9 (6 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 8,299,632 people (722,234 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 2
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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#1. Pickens County

– Emergency shelters per 100K people: 72.8 (14 shelters in database)
– Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 6,811,247 people (1,310,484 total capacity)
– Shelters with generators: 0
– Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0