Pennsylvania natural disaster risk
Pennsylvania ranks #36 of 51 from the lowest population-weighted county-score mean in our state comparison. Its highest hazard-score means are riverine flooding, winter weather, lightning.
RelocateMath computes these state means by weighting FEMA county scores by population. A mean of county percentiles is not a national state percentile or an official FEMA state rating.
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
Find your county's risk in Pennsylvania
All 67 county rows with a FEMA score are available below, initially ordered by population.
| County | Population | Risk score | FEMA rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia County | 1,579,706 | 99.6 | Very High |
| Allegheny County | 1,238,177 | 98.1 | Relatively High |
| Montgomery County | 867,573 | 96.8 | Relatively High |
| Bucks County | 647,461 | 94.8 | Relatively High |
| Delaware County | 579,222 | 92.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| Lancaster County | 557,931 | 95.0 | Relatively High |
| Chester County | 547,840 | 91.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| York County | 462,924 | 90.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| Berks County | 433,015 | 92.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| Lehigh County | 378,792 | 93.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| Westmoreland County | 352,500 | 87.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| Luzerne County | 327,675 | 91.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| Northampton County | 318,580 | 90.0 | Relatively Moderate |
| Dauphin County | 289,593 | 91.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| Erie County | 269,052 | 84.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| Cumberland County | 268,323 | 86.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| Lackawanna County | 216,146 | 89.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| Washington County | 210,042 | 83.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| Butler County | 197,254 | 79.3 | Relatively Low |
| Monroe County | 167,515 | 85.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| Beaver County | 166,324 | 75.3 | Relatively Low |
| Centre County | 158,576 | 68.0 | Relatively Low |
| Franklin County | 157,379 | 76.4 | Relatively Low |
| Lebanon County | 144,186 | 79.9 | Relatively Low |
| Schuylkill County | 143,558 | 85.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| Cambria County | 131,538 | 76.4 | Relatively Low |
| Fayette County | 125,997 | 82.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| Blair County | 121,277 | 77.7 | Relatively Low |
| Lycoming County | 113,489 | 79.6 | Relatively Low |
| Mercer County | 109,257 | 77.7 | Relatively Low |
| Adams County | 106,115 | 67.5 | Relatively Low |
| Northumberland County | 90,560 | 79.2 | Relatively Low |
| Lawrence County | 85,024 | 66.1 | Relatively Low |
| Indiana County | 83,042 | 63.7 | Relatively Low |
| Crawford County | 82,716 | 76.0 | Relatively Low |
| Clearfield County | 78,635 | 67.1 | Relatively Low |
| Somerset County | 72,799 | 64.2 | Relatively Low |
| Carbon County | 65,382 | 59.4 | Relatively Low |
| Columbia County | 65,362 | 62.1 | Relatively Low |
| Armstrong County | 64,622 | 69.3 | Relatively Low |
| Pike County | 60,621 | 65.9 | Relatively Low |
| Bradford County | 59,858 | 73.1 | Relatively Low |
| Wayne County | 51,262 | 56.3 | Relatively Low |
| Venango County | 49,801 | 55.6 | Relatively Low |
| Bedford County | 47,513 | 68.2 | Relatively Low |
| Perry County | 46,239 | 53.1 | Relatively Low |
| Mifflin County | 46,041 | 69.3 | Relatively Low |
| Jefferson County | 43,864 | 57.9 | Relatively Low |
| Huntingdon County | 43,653 | 50.3 | Relatively Low |
| Union County | 42,456 | 55.2 | Relatively Low |
| Tioga County | 40,945 | 59.8 | Relatively Low |
| McKean County | 39,904 | 53.8 | Relatively Low |
| Snyder County | 39,668 | 54.3 | Relatively Low |
| Susquehanna County | 38,219 | 53.6 | Relatively Low |
| Warren County | 37,920 | 65.6 | Relatively Low |
| Clinton County | 37,798 | 51.8 | Relatively Low |
| Clarion County | 37,179 | 30.0 | Very Low |
| Greene County | 34,835 | 55.1 | Relatively Low |
| Elk County | 30,506 | 45.2 | Relatively Low |
| Wyoming County | 25,967 | 44.8 | Relatively Low |
| Juniata County | 23,379 | 38.8 | Very Low |
| Montour County | 18,103 | 14.7 | Very Low |
| Potter County | 16,188 | 28.1 | Very Low |
| Fulton County | 14,531 | 7.8 | Very Low |
| Forest County | 6,715 | 19.9 | Very Low |
| Sullivan County | 5,888 | 10.7 | Very Low |
| Cameron County | 4,427 | 12.6 | Very Low |
The county rows show FEMA's own county percentile scores and rating categories; the state figures above are our weighted means. County data cannot establish a property's safety. Expected loss is modeled annual loss per resident, not a premium quote. The insurance figure is what owners with a mortgage reported paying in 2024 (Census American Community Survey), not a current quote. For a specific home, check the address on FEMA's flood map and get insurance quotes before you commit. Our guide explains how to check natural disaster risk before you move.
Lowest FEMA county risk scores in Pennsylvania
- Clarion County 30.0
- Juniata County 38.8
- Wyoming County 44.8
- Elk County 45.2
- Huntingdon County 50.3
- Clinton County 51.8
- Perry County 53.1
- Susquehanna County 53.6
Cities in Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia, PA county-score mean 94.5
- Pittsburgh, PA county-score mean 89.6
- Allentown, PA county-score mean 88.2
- Harrisburg, PA county-score mean 86
Frequently asked questions
Is Pennsylvania safe from natural disasters?
Pennsylvania's population-weighted county-score mean is 87.4 out of 100 (very high county-score mean), #36 of 51 from the lowest mean in our state comparison. A state average cannot show whether an individual home is safe. About 38% of residents live in counties FEMA rates relatively high or very high.
What natural disasters happen in Pennsylvania?
The highest population-weighted county hazard-score means in Pennsylvania are riverine flooding, winter weather, lightning (means 92, 88, 87 on the 0–100 county-score scale). These are not national state percentiles.
Which counties have the lowest modeled risk scores in Pennsylvania?
Among counties with at least 20,000 people, the lowest FEMA county risk scores are in Clarion County, Juniata County, Wyoming County. Conditions vary within each county; check an individual address separately.