La Crosse County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
La Crosse County has experienced 18 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.
La Crosse County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, hail, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 120 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (18th 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. La Crosse County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (7), flood (6), 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 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud |
| 2017 | Flood | 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 18 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 | 11.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 74 | 43 | 0 | $7.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 22.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88.5 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 84.6 | 4 | 0 | $300K |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 95.1 | 63 | 0 | $48.7M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 76.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 68 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 42.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 96.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 55.2 | 5 | 0 | $382K |
| Drought | Very Low | 27 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 92.7 | 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
La Crosse County ranks in the 18th percentile (Very 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 | 18th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 15th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 3rd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 34th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 67th | 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 | 19th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 18th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 24.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 120 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 57 in 2016–20 vs 63 in 2021–25 (+11% — 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 La Crosse County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in La Crosse County, Wisconsin are cold wave, hail, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has La Crosse County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. La Crosse County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has La Crosse County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for La Crosse County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does La Crosse County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Monroe County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Houston County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). La Crosse County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is La Crosse County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
La Crosse 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. La Crosse County's composite score of 81 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 81% of US counties.