Richton, MS
How exposed is Richton to wildfire?
Richton's 724 buildings earn a 85th-percentile wildfire-risk score nationally under USFS's model — in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Richton at the 87th national percentile — 2 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Where Richton's buildings actually sit
724 buildings are counted in Richton, and 55.7% of them sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone — flame contact, not just ember cast, is the live possibility for most of them, against 0% rated Minimal.
Richton against the rest of the country
Richton scores 85th nationally and 88th within Mississippi — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Richton ranks 4,701 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 14,405 by building count (1 is largest). Within Mississippi alone, it ranks 52 of 420 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Mississippi on its state page.
Richton and the insurance market
At the 85th percentile nationally, Richton carries the very high rating that has pushed some carriers to limit new business in similarly-scored places elsewhere in the country. Worth comparing quotes rather than assuming last year's renewal terms still apply.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Because Direct exposure dominates in Richton (55.7%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 724 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Richton. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond Richton, see the exposure-zones guide.