Van Wert County, OH
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Van Wert County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Van Wert County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, earthquake, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 31 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (4th 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. Van Wert County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1965, 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 |
| 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 Storms And Tornadoes |
| 2003 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1992 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 3.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 33.7 | 2 | 0 | $425K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 57 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 20.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 48.2 | 11 | 0 | $30K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 29.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 53.2 | 17 | 0 | $6K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 70.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 29.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 38.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 23.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 22.9 | 1 | 0 | $20K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 15.4 | 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
Van Wert County ranks in the 4th 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 | 4th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 6th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 40th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 18th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 3rd | Very 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 | 1st | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 1st | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 18.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 31 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 15 in 2021–25 (-6% — 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 Van Wert County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Van Wert County, Ohio are strong wind, earthquake, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Van Wert County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Van Wert County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Van Wert County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Van Wert County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Van Wert County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Allen County, OH has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Paulding County, OH has the lowest (Very Low). Van Wert County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Van Wert County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Van Wert 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. Van Wert County's composite score of 20 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 20% of US counties.