Wayne County, PA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wayne County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Tropical Storm Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Wayne County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, landslide, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 34 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. Wayne County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (6), flood (6), hurricane (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Flood | Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 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 | 20.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 71.3 | 28 | 0 | $703K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 47.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 32 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 30.4 | 2 | 0 | $70K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 76 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 19 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 64.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 55.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 41.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 63.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 53 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 74.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 34.6 | — | — | — |
| 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
Wayne County ranks in the 40th 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 | 40th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 48th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 20th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 32nd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 51st | 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 | 30th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 29th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 92.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 34 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 8 in 2016–20 vs 26 in 2021–25 .
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 Wayne County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wayne County, Pennsylvania are hurricane, landslide, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Wayne County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wayne County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Wayne County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wayne County include Tropical Storm Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Wayne County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lackawanna County, PA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Wyoming County, PA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Wayne County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Wayne County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wayne 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. Wayne County's composite score of 56 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 56% of US counties.