Cheboygan County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cheboygan County has experienced 8 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Cheboygan County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, cold wave, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (26th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Cheboygan County has been designated in 8 declarations since 1977, covering 7 disaster types including biological (2), flood (1), severe ice storm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1994 | Freezing | Severe Deep Freeze |
| 1978 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
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 | 25.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 77.9 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 37.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 11.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 21.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 25.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 24.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 36.1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 17.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 23.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 6.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 69.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 48.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 67.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Cheboygan County ranks in the 26th 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 | 26th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 50th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 23rd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 28th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 14th | Very 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 | 16th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 17th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 80.7% | — |
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 Cheboygan County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cheboygan County, Michigan are inland flooding, cold wave, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Cheboygan County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cheboygan County has received 8 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Cheboygan County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cheboygan County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Cheboygan County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Emmet County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Montmorency County, MI has the lowest (Very Low). Cheboygan County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Cheboygan County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cheboygan 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. Cheboygan County's composite score of 60 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 60% of US counties.