Geauga County, OH
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Geauga County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Geauga County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, strong wind, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 90% 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. Geauga County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1969, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (5), biological (2), snowstorm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2008 | Snowstorm | Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, 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 | Other | Power Outage |
| 1992 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 42.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 73.3 | 4 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 46.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 55 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 59.6 | 8 | 0 | $453K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 44.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 74 | 18 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 87.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 92.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 71.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 23.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 52.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 34.5 | 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
Geauga 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 | 11th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 11th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 12th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 29th | 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 | 25th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 23rd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 85.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 29 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 10 in 2016–20 vs 19 in 2021–25 (+90% — frequency increasing).
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 Geauga County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Geauga County, Ohio are winter weather, strong wind, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Geauga County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Geauga County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Geauga County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Geauga County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Geauga County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Cuyahoga County, OH has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Ashtabula County, OH has the lowest (Relatively Low). Geauga County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Geauga County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Geauga 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. Geauga County's composite score of 60 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 60% of US counties.