Fayette County, PA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Fayette County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1971, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Fayette County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, landslide, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 20% 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. Fayette County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1971, covering 5 disaster types including snowstorm (5), severe storm (4), flood (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2010 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
| 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 total declarations since 1971.
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 | 45.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 90.6 | 61 | 0 | $5.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 60.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 44.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 68.8 | 9 | 0 | $1.4M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 60.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 74.7 | 24 | 0 | $1.2M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 66.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 58.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 51.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 8.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 81.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 44 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 87.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 59.8 | — | — | — |
| 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
Fayette County ranks in the 52nd 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 | 52nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 52nd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 40th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 29th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 68th | 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 | 32nd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 32nd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 60.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 92 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 51 in 2016–20 vs 41 in 2021–25 (-20% — 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 Fayette County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Fayette County, Pennsylvania are inland flooding, landslide, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Fayette County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Fayette County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1971, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is snowstorm (5 declarations).
Has Fayette County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Fayette County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Fayette County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Westmoreland County, PA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Garrett County, MD has the lowest (Very Low). Fayette County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Fayette County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Fayette 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. Fayette County's composite score of 82 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 82% of US counties.