Juniata County, PA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Juniata County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Juniata County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, hurricane, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Juniata County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1972, covering 5 disaster types including flood (7), snowstorm (4), hurricane (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Flood | Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011 | Flood | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2010 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2004 | Hurricane | Tropical Depression Ivan |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 16.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 60.3 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 37.8 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 37.7 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 26.9 | 2 | 0 | $525K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 76.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 15 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 50.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 65.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 13.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 13.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 28.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 79.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 52.6 | — | — | — |
| 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
Juniata County ranks in the 48th percentile (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 | 48th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 43rd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 34th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 17th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 80th | High |
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 | 37th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 39th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 75.7% | — |
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 Juniata County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Juniata County, Pennsylvania are landslide, hurricane, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Juniata County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Juniata County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (7 declarations).
Has Juniata County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Juniata County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Juniata County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Dauphin County, PA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Huntingdon County, PA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Juniata County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Juniata County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Juniata 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. Juniata County's composite score of 39 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 39% of US counties.