Cuyahoga County, OH
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cuyahoga County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Cuyahoga County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, tornado, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 40% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (73rd 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. Cuyahoga County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (6), flood (4), tornado (3).
| 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 |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2003 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding, Severe Storms, And High Winds |
| 2003 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 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 | 56.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 98.7 | 54 | 0 | $33.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 33 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 89.6 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 97.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 99 | 6 | 0 | $2.6M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 62.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 55.7 | 48 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 96.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 96.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 92.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 93.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 34.7 | 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
Cuyahoga County ranks in the 73rd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 73rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 66th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 69th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 80th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 63rd | Moderate |
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 | 19th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 18th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 11.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 109 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 68 in 2016–20 vs 41 in 2021–25 (-40% — 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 Cuyahoga County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cuyahoga County, Ohio are cold wave, tornado, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Cuyahoga County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cuyahoga County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Cuyahoga County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Cuyahoga County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Cuyahoga County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Summit County, OH has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Geauga County, OH has the lowest (Relatively Low). Cuyahoga County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Cuyahoga County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cuyahoga 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. Cuyahoga County's composite score of 98 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 98% of US counties.