Livingston County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Livingston County has experienced 9 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Livingston County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, tornado, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 24 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (0th 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. Livingston County has been designated in 9 declarations since 1975, covering 6 disaster types including flood (2), biological (2), snowstorm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2003 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1978 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1975 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & 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 | 37.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 74 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 48.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 64.2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 91.5 | 3 | 0 | $120K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 23.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 60 | 16 | 0 | $1.5M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 93.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 55.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 80 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 80.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 54.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 61.9 | 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
Livingston County ranks in the 0th 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 | 0th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 3rd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 2nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 13th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 5th | Very 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 | 12th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 64.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 24 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 12 in 2016–20 vs 12 in 2021–25 (0% — 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 Livingston County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Livingston County, Michigan are strong wind, tornado, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Livingston County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Livingston County has received 9 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (2 declarations).
Has Livingston County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Livingston County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Livingston County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Oakland County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Shiawassee County, MI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Livingston County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Livingston County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Livingston 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. Livingston County's composite score of 74 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 74% of US counties.