Bucks County, PA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bucks County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Remnants Of Hurricane Ida in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Bucks County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, winter weather, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 42% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (13th 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. Bucks County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (8), flood (7), severe storm (5).
| 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 |
| 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Flood | Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011 | Flood | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 55.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 97.1 | 72 | 9 | $50.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 65 | 17 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 93.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 95.1 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 92.1 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 88.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 40.1 | 35 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 94.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 99.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 99.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 90.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 91.8 | 8 | 0 | $21K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 77 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 56.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 19.6 | — | — | — |
| 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
Bucks County ranks in the 13th 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 | 13th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 10th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 21st | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 50th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 21st | 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 | 17th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 17th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 50.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 155 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 64 in 2016–20 vs 91 in 2021–25 (+42% — frequency increasing).
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 Bucks County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bucks County, Pennsylvania are ice storm, winter weather, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Bucks County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bucks County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (8 declarations).
Has Bucks County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Bucks County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Remnants Of Hurricane Ida in 2021.
How does Bucks County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Philadelphia County, PA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and Hunterdon County, NJ has the lowest (Relatively Low). Bucks County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Bucks County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bucks 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. Bucks County's composite score of 95 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 95% of US counties.