Portage County, OH
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Portage County has experienced 12 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.
Portage County's highest-rated hazards are hail, ice storm, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 28 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. Portage County has been designated in 12 declarations since 1977, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (4), biological (2), snowstorm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2003 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding, Severe Storms, And High Winds |
| 2003 | Other | Power Outage |
| 1992 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1985 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 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 | 39.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 75.3 | 11 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 53.3 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 65.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 70.5 | 4 | 0 | $530K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 55.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 88 | 16 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 77.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 79.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 81.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 43.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 68 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 30.8 | 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
Portage County ranks in the 33rd 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 | 33rd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 40th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 3rd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 36th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 73rd | 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 | 22nd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 21st | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 59.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 28 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (0% — relatively stable).
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 Portage County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Portage County, Ohio are hail, ice storm, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Portage County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Portage County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (4 declarations).
Has Portage County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Portage County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Portage 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 Geauga County, OH has the lowest (Relatively Low). Portage County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Portage County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Portage 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. Portage County's composite score of 65 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 65% of US counties.