Montgomery County, OH
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Montgomery County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1968, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Montgomery County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, ice storm, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 36% 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. Montgomery County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1968, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (5), biological (2), snowstorm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslide |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike |
| 2005 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2003 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Record/Near Record Snow |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 total declarations since 1968.
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 | 44.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 95.5 | 50 | 0 | $68K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 91.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88.7 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 92.6 | 10 | 1 | $502.3M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 49.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 95.7 | 48 | 0 | $5K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 97.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 92.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 96.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 95 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 93.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 26.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 66.2 | 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
Montgomery County ranks in the 69th 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 | 69th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 58th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 70th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 68th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 69th | 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 | 7th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 7th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 15.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 110 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 67 in 2016–20 vs 43 in 2021–25 (-36% — 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 Montgomery County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Montgomery County, Ohio are strong wind, ice storm, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Montgomery County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Montgomery County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1968, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Montgomery County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Montgomery County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Montgomery County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Butler County, OH has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Preble County, OH has the lowest (Relatively Low). Montgomery County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Montgomery County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Montgomery 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. Montgomery County's composite score of 93 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 93% of US counties.