Clare County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Clare County has experienced 9 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Clare County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, winter weather, and cold wave, 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. Clare County has been designated in 9 declarations since 1975, covering 6 disaster types including biological (2), snowstorm (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1986 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1976 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Icing & Flooding |
| 1975 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & Flooding |
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 | 42.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 50.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 23.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 26 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 58 | 2 | 0 | $2.1M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 21.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 61.6 | 2 | 0 | $250K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 94.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 92 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 42.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 69.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 68.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 64.8 | 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
Clare County ranks in the 69th 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 | 69th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 91st | High |
| Household characteristics | 55th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 11th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 53rd | 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 | 20th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 21st | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 77.8% | — |
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 Clare County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Clare County, Michigan are strong wind, winter weather, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Clare County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Clare County has received 9 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Clare County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Clare County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Clare County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Midland County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Missaukee County, MI has the lowest (Very Low). Clare County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Clare County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Clare 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. Clare County's composite score of 48 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 48% of US counties.