Calhoun County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Calhoun County has experienced 9 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Calhoun County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, hail, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Calhoun County has been designated in 9 declarations since 1972, covering 5 disaster types including snowstorm (3), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1980 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1975 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & Flooding |
| 1972 | Snowstorm | Severe Storm & Freezing |
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 | 28.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 75.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 66.6 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 50.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 88.3 | 3 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 37.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 89.5 | 7 | 0 | $700K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 97.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 68.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 71.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 75.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 53.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 62.1 | 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
Calhoun County ranks in the 68th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 68th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 60th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 68th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 59th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 69th | 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 | 7th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 7th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 45.7% | — |
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 Calhoun County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Calhoun County, Michigan are strong wind, hail, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Calhoun County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Calhoun County has received 9 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is snowstorm (3 declarations).
Has Calhoun County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Calhoun County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Calhoun County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Kalamazoo County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Barry County, MI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Calhoun County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Calhoun County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Calhoun 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. Calhoun County's composite score of 75 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 75% of US counties.