Crawford County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Crawford County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Crawford County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, hail, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 63% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (29th 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. Crawford County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (10), flood (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 13.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 56.1 | 64 | 1 | $16.7M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 19.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 75.8 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 58.4 | 1 | 0 | $5K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 8.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 82.4 | 12 | 0 | $24K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 48.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 15.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 45.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 66.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 23.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 34.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 96.1 | 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
Crawford County ranks in the 29th 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 | 29th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 27th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 18th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 14th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 66th | 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 | 21st | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 20th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 59.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 82 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 60 in 2016–20 vs 22 in 2021–25 (-63% — frequency decreasing).
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 Crawford County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Crawford County, Wisconsin are landslide, hail, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Crawford County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Crawford County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Crawford County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Crawford County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Crawford County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Vernon County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Houston County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Crawford County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Crawford County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Crawford 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. Crawford County's composite score of 46 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 46% of US counties.