Knox County, OH
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Knox County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Knox County's highest-rated hazards are hail, strong wind, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (28th 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. Knox County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1977, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (7), biological (2), snowstorm (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 |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2003 | Other | Power Outage |
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 | 36.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 72 | 8 | 0 | $81K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 48.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 58.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 64.3 | 3 | 0 | $68K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 40.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 85.5 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 81.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 77.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 79 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 58.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 64.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 65 | 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
Knox County ranks in the 28th 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 | 28th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 32nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 36th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 11th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 41st | 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 | 20th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 20th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 67.1% | — |
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 Knox County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Knox County, Ohio are hail, strong wind, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Knox County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Knox County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Knox County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Knox County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Knox 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 Morrow County, OH has the lowest (Very Low). Knox County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Knox County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Knox 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. Knox County's composite score of 61 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 61% of US counties.