Manitowoc County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Manitowoc County has experienced 9 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Manitowoc County's highest-rated hazards are hail, cold wave, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 44% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (13th 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. Manitowoc County has been designated in 9 declarations since 1973, covering 5 disaster types including flood (3), biological (2), severe storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1990 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1976 | Flood | Severe Storms, Icing, Wind & Flooding |
| 1973 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 | 19.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 69.7 | 6 | 0 | $400K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 32.2 | 4 | 0 | $60K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 25.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 79.9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 77.3 | 2 | 0 | $75K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 21.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 96 | 24 | 0 | $15K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 60.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 62.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 28 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 85.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 65.7 | 1 | 0 | $400K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 44.1 | 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
Manitowoc County ranks in the 13th 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 | 13th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 6th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 40th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 32nd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 29th | 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 | 8th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 8th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 31.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 39 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 25 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (-44% — 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 Manitowoc County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin are hail, cold wave, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Manitowoc County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Manitowoc County has received 9 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (3 declarations).
Has Manitowoc County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Manitowoc County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Manitowoc County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Brown County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Kewaunee County, WI has the lowest (Very Low). Manitowoc County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Manitowoc County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Manitowoc 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. Manitowoc County's composite score of 69 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 69% of US counties.