Lincoln County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lincoln County has experienced 9 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Lincoln County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, lightning, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 17% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. 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. Lincoln County has been designated in 9 declarations since 1969, covering 6 disaster types including biological (2), severe storm (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 1993 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1978 | Severe Storm | Winds, Hail & Rain |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969 | Flood | Flooding |
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 | 29.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 56.2 | 2 | 0 | $2K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 4.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 18.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 44 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 44.6 | 22 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 38.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 62.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 31 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 90 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 63 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 30.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 10.7 | 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
Lincoln 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 | 25th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 20th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 10th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 28th | 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 | 13th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 13th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 74.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 26 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 12 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (+17% — 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 Lincoln County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Lincoln County, Wisconsin are cold wave, lightning, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Lincoln County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Lincoln County has received 9 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Lincoln County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Lincoln County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Lincoln County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Marathon County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Price County, WI has the lowest (Very Low). Lincoln County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Lincoln County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Lincoln 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. Lincoln County's composite score of 53 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 53% of US counties.