Ionia County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ionia County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Ionia County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, tornado, and hail, 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. Ionia County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1972, covering 5 disaster types including snowstorm (5), flood (4), severe storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1999 | Snowstorm | Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
| 1998 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 21.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 63.8 | 2 | 0 | $500K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 34.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 31.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 77.5 | 6 | 0 | $1.1M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 34 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 72.7 | 5 | 0 | $505K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 90.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 36.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 72 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 62 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 25 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 65.6 | 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
Ionia County ranks in the 33rd 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 | 33rd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 29th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 8th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 41st | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 74th | 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 | 6th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 6th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 52.4% | — |
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 Ionia County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ionia County, Michigan are strong wind, tornado, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Ionia County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ionia County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is snowstorm (5 declarations).
Has Ionia County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Ionia County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Ionia County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Kent County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Barry County, MI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Ionia County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Ionia County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ionia 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. Ionia County's composite score of 56 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 56% of US counties.