Franklin County, OH
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Franklin County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Franklin County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, heat wave, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 173 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Franklin County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1974, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (11), snowstorm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike |
| 2008 | Snowstorm | Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
| 2005 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, And Landslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 total declarations since 1974.
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 | 29.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 98.8 | 82 | 1 | $198K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 93.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 98.9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 98.4 | 9 | 0 | $1.6M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 49.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 98.5 | 85 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 96 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 96.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 87.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 95 | 2 | 1 | $1K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 57.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 64.2 | 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
Franklin County ranks in the 65th 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 | 65th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 54th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 53rd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 78th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 70th | 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 | 8th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 7th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 9.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 173 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 92 in 2016–20 vs 81 in 2021–25 (-12% — 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 Franklin County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Franklin County, Ohio are cold wave, heat wave, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Franklin County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Franklin County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Franklin County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Franklin County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Franklin County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Licking County, OH has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Madison County, OH has the lowest (Very Low). Franklin County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Franklin County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Franklin 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. Franklin County's composite score of 98 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 98% of US counties.