Bedford County, PA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bedford County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Remnants Of Hurricane Ida in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Bedford County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, inland flooding, and hurricane, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (19th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Bedford County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1972, covering 5 disaster types including flood (7), hurricane (5), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Flood | Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011 | Flood | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2010 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 29.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 84 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 44.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 31.1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 26 | 2 | 0 | $60K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 77.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 33.4 | 3 | 0 | $10K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 53.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 37.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 20 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 43.1 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Drought | Very Low | 29.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 92.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 57.7 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Bedford County ranks in the 19th percentile (Very low) 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 | 19th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 35th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 15th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 2nd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 24th | Very low |
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 | 40th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 40th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 74.3% | — |
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 Bedford County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bedford County, Pennsylvania are landslide, inland flooding, and hurricane. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Bedford County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bedford County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is flood (7 declarations).
Has Bedford County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Bedford County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Remnants Of Hurricane Ida in 2021.
How does Bedford County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Blair County, PA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Fulton County, PA has the lowest (Very Low). Bedford County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Bedford County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bedford 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. Bedford County's composite score of 68 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 68% of US counties.