Macomb County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Macomb County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Macomb County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, cold wave, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 59% 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. Macomb County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including flood (6), severe storm (5), snowstorm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2003 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1999 | Snowstorm | Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 41.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 97.5 | 25 | 0 | $5.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 46.6 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 83.6 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 94.5 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 99.3 | 2 | 0 | $4.5M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 49.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 90.6 | 27 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 98.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 88.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 98.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 88.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 36.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Macomb County ranks in the 41st 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 | 41st | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 41st | Low |
| Household characteristics | 41st | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 59th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 34th | 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 | 6th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 5th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 7.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 65 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 46 in 2016–20 vs 19 in 2021–25 (-59% — frequency decreasing).
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 Macomb County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Macomb County, Michigan are tornado, cold wave, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Macomb County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Macomb County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (6 declarations).
Has Macomb County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Macomb County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Macomb County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Wayne County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Lapeer County, MI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Macomb County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Macomb County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Macomb 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. Macomb County's composite score of 97 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 97% of US counties.