Ashtabula County, OH
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ashtabula County has experienced 15 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Ashtabula County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, strong wind, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (82nd percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Ashtabula County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1969, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (3), snowstorm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Severe Storms And Flooding Due To The Remnants Of Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2008 | Snowstorm | Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2003 | Other | Power Outage |
| 1985 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 total declarations since 1969.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 36.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 72.6 | 7 | 0 | $15.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 28.8 | 2 | 0 | $185K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 54.7 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 51 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 78.8 | 1 | 0 | $1.5M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 52.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 69.2 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 87.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 88.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 68.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 34.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 62.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 22 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Ashtabula County ranks in the 82nd percentile (High) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 82nd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 90th | High |
| Household characteristics | 67th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 37th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 79th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 23rd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 22nd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 59.4% | — |
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Ashtabula County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ashtabula County, Ohio are winter weather, strong wind, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Ashtabula County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ashtabula County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (3 declarations).
Has Ashtabula County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Ashtabula County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Ashtabula County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Trumbull County, OH has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Geauga County, OH has the lowest (Relatively Low). Ashtabula County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Ashtabula County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ashtabula County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Ashtabula County's composite score of 63 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 63% of US counties.