Carbon County, PA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Carbon County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Carbon County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, heat wave, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (29th 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. Carbon County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (4), flood (4), severe storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Flood | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2004 | Hurricane | Tropical Depression Ivan |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Frances |
| 2003 | Severe Storm | Snow |
| 1996 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 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 | 41.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 67.5 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 46.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 37.9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 73.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 15.5 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 78.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 78.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 50.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 76.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 87.8 | 4 | 1 | $50K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 71 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 58.5 | — | — | — |
| 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
Carbon County ranks in the 29th 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 | 29th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 53rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 21st | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 30th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 18th | 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 | 50th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 52nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 66.3% | — |
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 Carbon County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Carbon County, Pennsylvania are lightning, heat wave, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Carbon County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Carbon County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (4 declarations).
Has Carbon County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Carbon County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Carbon County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lehigh County, PA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Monroe County, PA has the lowest (Relatively Moderate). Carbon County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Carbon County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Carbon 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. Carbon County's composite score of 59 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 59% of US counties.