Iron County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Iron County has experienced 7 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.
Iron County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, hail, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 21 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Iron County has been designated in 7 declarations since 1977, covering 5 disaster types including flood (2), biological (2), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Flood | Flooding |
| 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 | 43.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 25.7 | 7 | 0 | $4.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 1.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 9.9 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 17.7 | 2 | 0 | $170K |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 74.8 | 7 | 0 | $2K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 26.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 46.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 11.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 96.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 40.2 | 1 | 0 | $500 |
| Drought | Very Low | 24.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 17.4 | 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
Iron County ranks in the 32nd 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 | 32nd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 35th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 43rd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 15th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 42nd | 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 | 38th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 37th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 75.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 21 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 10 in 2016–20 vs 11 in 2021–25 (+10% — relatively stable).
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 Iron County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Iron County, Michigan are cold wave, hail, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Iron County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Iron County has received 7 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (2 declarations).
Has Iron County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Iron County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Iron County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Marquette County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Baraga County, MI has the lowest (Very Low). Iron County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Iron County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Iron 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. Iron County's composite score of 55 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 55% of US counties.