York County, PA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
York County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Remnants Of Hurricane Ida in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
York County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, inland flooding, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 17% 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. York County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1972, covering 6 disaster types including flood (6), hurricane (5), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Flood | Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011 | Flood | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2010 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 41 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 93.3 | 40 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 88 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 91.8 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 47.6 | 5 | 0 | $255K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 92.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 23.2 | 28 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 92.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 97.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 63.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 74.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 92.7 | 1 | 0 | $40K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 86.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 78.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 24.1 | — | — | — |
| 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
York County ranks in the 34th 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 | 34th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 26th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 50th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 51st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 36th | 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 | 11th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 12th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 55.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 78 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 36 in 2016–20 vs 42 in 2021–25 (+17% — frequency increasing).
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 York County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in York County, Pennsylvania are winter weather, inland flooding, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has York County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. York County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is flood (6 declarations).
Has York County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for York County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Remnants Of Hurricane Ida in 2021.
How does York County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lancaster County, PA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Carroll County, MD has the lowest (Relatively Low). York County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is York County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
York 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. York County's composite score of 90 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 90% of US counties.