FEMA Records
10
Low volume
Ohio · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Clinton County, OH
10 FEMA disaster declarations (1968-2020), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low. Most common hazard: Snowstorm.
- 10
- FEMA declarations
- 4
- Major disasters
- 34
- NRI risk · Very Low
- Snowstorm
- Top hazard
The verdict
Clinton County has a nationally busy FEMA history: 10 declarations, more than 10% of counties in this registry. But the state comparison tempers that reading: the total is 32% below the Ohio county mean. FEMA's separate National Risk Index places the county safer than 34%; that score models loss and vulnerability rather than counting declarations.
- Safer than 34%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Very Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 10
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 16
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
How does Clinton County compare?
Clinton County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
10 10th percentile higher than 10% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-03
Clinton County's FEMA Risk Index score
FEMA National Risk Index composite score vs. the Ohio county average
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Clinton County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $6.0M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively Low), while Ice Storm carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Moderate). EAL and risk score use different inputs; they need not agree.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release) - Expected Annual Loss vs composite risk rating by hazard.
What does Clinton County's hazard record show?
FEMA National Risk Index
FEMA's data shows an elevated National Risk Index composite of 34.0/100 for this county (Very Low rating). Expected Annual Loss comes in at Very Low (roughly $11.6M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability (Relatively Low) and community resilience (Very High) both factor into how that raw exposure plays out on the ground. Among the 18 modeled hazards, Ice Storm carries the county's highest rating, a mid-range Relatively Moderate. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 1.2 times per year here, based on 81 historical events on record.
Declaration frequency
Nationally, Clinton County's 10 FEMA records form a high-volume history; within Ohio, however, the count is 32% below the county mean. 4 entries carry the Major Disaster classification. The largest incident group is Snowstorm, appearing 3 times. The full 52-year record averages 0.2 declarations annually. A DR label alone does not say whether Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, or both followed.
Reading the federal records together
This county has a small entry in FEMA's NFIP paid-claims table: 16 claims and $206.1K paid in total. PlainHazard calls 1-49 claims a light registry record, a label for this dataset rather than a finding that flood exposure is low. A short claims history can also reflect insurance take-up, the period covered, or losses that were never insured.
Start with the state benchmark: a Ohio county averages 14.6 federal declaration records, while Clinton County has 10. The gap is 32% below that mean. Fewer entries indicate a quieter history of recorded federal actions, not immunity from a hazard and not a prediction about what happens next.
39 /100
Historical Activity Index
Moderate historical activity
Clinton County, OH · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) Low
7/30
10 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.5x national county average)
County Disaster Density Moderate
9/25
10 declarations (0.7x state county average of 15)
Major Disaster Share Moderate
10/25
4 of 10 declarations are major disasters (40%)
Hazard Diversity High
13/20
5 different disaster types declared in Clinton County
Historical Declaration Activity
Activity Band
High
vs. Ohio Avg
-32%
State avg: 14.6
vs. National Avg
-52%
National avg: 20.7
Avg Per Year
0.2
Over 52 years
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Clinton County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
40%
Mixed major share
NRI risk score
34
Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Clinton County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | an average of 1.2 times per year |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 2.2 modeled event-days per year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | roughly once every 600 years |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | an average of 2.1 times per year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 5.3 modeled event-days per year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | roughly once every 4 years |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | an average of 48 times per year |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 12 years |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | an average of 12 times per year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | an average of 1.7 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | an average of 3.4 times per year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | an average of 3.4 times per year |
| Hurricane | Very Low | roughly once every 99 years |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 40,501 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Severe Storm 3
Snowstorm 3
Biological 2
Hurricane 1
Flood 1
What Snowstorm declarations mean here
Snowstorm is the most frequent declaration type on Clinton County's record, 30% of its declarations. Snow-related declarations work on a narrower basis than most other hazards: they are generally issued to reimburse the cost of snow removal and emergency protective measures, rather than to repair destroyed property.
The qualifying test is unusual too. FEMA assesses snowfall against record levels for the affected area, so the same storm total can qualify in a county where it is historically extreme and not qualify a few hundred miles north where it is an ordinary winter. A low snowstorm declaration count is therefore not evidence of mild winters.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Emergency - 6 60.0%
of all 10 declarations
Major Disaster - 4 40.0%
of all 10 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2012 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 1 | |
| 1978 | 1 | |
| 1977 | 1 | |
| 1968 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 10 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 10 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4507 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-31 |
| 3457 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 3346 | SEVERE STORMS | EM | Severe Storm | 2012-06-30 |
| 1805 | SEVERE WIND STORM ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL DEPRESSION IKE | DR | Severe Storm | 2008-10-24 |
| 3286 | RECORD SNOW AND NEAR RECORD SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2008-04-24 |
| 3250 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-13 |
| 1556 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2004-09-19 |
| 3055 | BLIZZARDS & SNOWSTORMS | EM | Snowstorm | 1978-01-26 |
| 3029 | SNOWSTORMS | EM | Snowstorm | 1977-02-02 |
| 243 | HEAVY RAINS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1968-06-05 |
Storm Events in Ohio
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Clinton County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 6,938 | 6 | 39 | $60.4M |
| Winter Weather | 2,101 | 7 | 42 | $3.3M |
| Hail | 1,749 | 0 | 0 | $673.5K |
| Flood | 1,607 | 9 | 0 | $84.5M |
| Flash Flood | 1,089 | 9 | 7 | $112.2M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
16
Total Paid
$206.1K
Avg Per Claim
$12.9K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Very Low
Score: 34.0/100
Expected Annual Loss
Very Low
$11.6M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively Low
Community Resilience
Very High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Ice Storm Relatively Moderate
Drought Relatively Moderate
Earthquake Relatively Low
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate
Heat Wave Relatively Low
Tornado Relatively Low
Lightning Relatively Low
Landslide Very Low
Winter Weather Relatively Low
Riverine Flooding Relatively Low
Cold Wave Relatively Low
Hail Relatively Low
Hurricane Very Low
Wildfire Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Ice Storm
Ice storms load power lines and tree limbs with accumulating freezing rain until they fail. The characteristic cost is infrastructure and multi-day power loss across a wide area rather than structural damage to buildings, which is why their consequences often outlast the weather that caused them.
For Clinton County the two measures on this page point the same way: Ice Storm is the county's highest-rated modeled hazard (Relatively Moderate), and Snowstorm declarations also lead its federal record. Where the model and the declaration history agree, the reading is comparatively straightforward, the hazard is both expected and repeatedly realised.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Clinton County's closest FEMA peer: Blaine County, ID
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Clinton County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Clinton County shows 10 FEMA declarations, led by Snowstorm.
Similar Major-disaster share
Clinton County: 4 of 10 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Clinton County: NRI composite 34.0 (Very Low).
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Clinton County - capture-dated entries only.
Further reading for this county
Most disaster-prone counties
With 10 FEMA declarations, Clinton County sits in the high-volume declaration band - see how that count ranks against other U.S. counties.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Clinton County?
The most common disaster type in Clinton County is Snowstorm, with 3 declarations. Other disaster types include Severe Storm (3), Biological (2), Hurricane (1).
How does Clinton County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Ohio average?
The typical Ohio county has 14.6 FEMA declaration records; Clinton County has 10, or 32% fewer. Against the national county mean of 20.7, this county's total is 52% lower. The comparison is historical and says nothing about the probability of a future event.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Clinton County received?
Clinton County has received 4 major disaster declarations, representing 40% of all 10 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Clinton County filed?
Clinton County has 16 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $206.1K in payments, with an average of $12.9K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Clinton County?
No. In Clinton County, Ice Storm has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Moderate), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $6.0M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Clinton County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Clinton County was 2020, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1968 to 2020.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Clinton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Clinton County, Ohio has an overall risk score of 34.0 out of 100 (Very Low). The county's social vulnerability rating is Relatively Low and community resilience is Very High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Very Low, representing $11.6M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Clinton County?
FEMA's NRI data points to Clinton County is Ice Storm (risk rating: Relatively Moderate). Other significant hazards include Drought (Relatively Moderate) and Earthquake (Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts ice storm here at an average of 1.2 times per year, drawn from 81 historical events on record. These scores are based on FEMA's analysis of historical event frequency, exposed assets, and community vulnerability.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
What this means for Clinton County
Against a Ohio county mean of 15 declarations, Clinton County, OH records 10, or 32% fewer. PlainHazard classifies that historical total as high activity.
- Emergency is the largest group (6 of 10) in a declaration history that remains below its state benchmark; frequency here is not a forecast. Ohio overview
- Nationally the county exceeds 10% of recorded county totals, but its own Ohio benchmark is higher. The ranking keeps those two contexts separate. Most-disaster rankings
- A short NFIP claims file cannot establish low flood exposure; the data guide explains the limits of each federal measure. Disaster-data guide
A below-average federal record is not a safety guarantee. Use National Weather Service alerts and local emergency-management notices for present conditions, not this historical comparison.
PlainHazard derives this profile from FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries and National Risk Index data. The declaration comparison covers 3,266 U.S. counties and county equivalents in this database, refreshed as of 2026-08-03. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 - all federally-declared disasters for this county. fema.gov/openfema/disaster-declarations
- FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) - per-county per-hazard risk ratings and expected annual loss. hazards.fema.gov/nri
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database - state-level storm/severe-weather event records, 2015-2025. ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainHazard Editorial
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, the data & editorial changelog, or report a data error.