Darke County, OH
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Darke County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Tornadoes in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Darke County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, earthquake, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 60% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (10th 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. Darke County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1977, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (5), snowstorm (3), tornado (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslide |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2005 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2003 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Record/Near Record Snow |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 total declarations since 1977.
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 | 12.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 60.1 | 21 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 80.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 29.3 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 81.8 | 13 | 0 | $2.1M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 37.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 58.5 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 68.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 35.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 42.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 34.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 43.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 35.5 | 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
Darke County ranks in the 10th 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 | 10th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 21st | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 28th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 4th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 6th | 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 | 1st | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 1st | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 31.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 42 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 30 in 2016–20 vs 12 in 2021–25 (-60% — 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 Darke County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Darke County, Ohio are tornado, earthquake, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Darke County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Darke County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Darke County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Darke County include Tornadoes (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Darke County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Wayne County, IN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Randolph County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Darke County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Darke County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Darke 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. Darke County's composite score of 53 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 53% of US counties.