Kent County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Kent County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Kent County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, tornado, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 36% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Kent County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (3), snowstorm (3), severe storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1986 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 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 | 42.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 94.8 | 5 | 0 | $210K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 73.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 95.1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 97.8 | 12 | 0 | $10.8M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 33.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 73.4 | 14 | 0 | $310K |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 99 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 95.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 83.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 89.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 72.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 83.4 | 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
Kent County ranks in the 45th 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 | 45th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 26th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 47th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 64th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 62nd | 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 | 12th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 11th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 29.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 26 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 11 in 2016–20 vs 15 in 2021–25 (+36% — frequency increasing).
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 Kent County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Kent County, Michigan are strong wind, tornado, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Kent County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Kent County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (3 declarations).
Has Kent County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Kent County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Kent County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Ottawa County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Barry County, MI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Kent County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Kent County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Kent 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. Kent County's composite score of 92 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 92% of US counties.