Butler County, OH
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Butler County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1968, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Butler County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, cold wave, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 34% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Butler County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1968, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (5), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike |
| 2005 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2001 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1996 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1990 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 total declarations since 1968.
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 | 41.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 93 | 50 | 0 | $375K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 85.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.7 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 98 | 9 | 0 | $1.1M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 27.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | 38 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 94.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 90.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 92 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 96.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 94.3 | 1 | 0 | $5K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 46 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 76.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Butler County ranks in the 43rd percentile (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 | 43rd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 36th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 51st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 56th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 43rd | 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 | 14th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 12th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 35.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 93 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 56 in 2016–20 vs 37 in 2021–25 (-34% — frequency decreasing).
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 Butler County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Butler County, Ohio are tornado, cold wave, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Butler County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Butler County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1968, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Butler County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Butler County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Butler County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Hamilton County, OH has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Union County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Butler County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Butler County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Butler 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. Butler County's composite score of 92 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 92% of US counties.