Marathon County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Marathon County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Marathon County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, lightning, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 121% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (15th 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. Marathon County has been designated in 12 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (4), flood (2), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2002 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 2002 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1993 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 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 | 40.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 87.7 | 6 | 0 | $81K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 18 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 62.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 83.8 | 12 | 0 | $145K |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 91.8 | 61 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 57 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 71.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 59 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 98.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 95.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 59.5 | 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
Marathon County ranks in the 15th 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 | 15th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 12th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 31st | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 37th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 22nd | 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 | 17th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 17th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 54.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 77 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 24 in 2016–20 vs 53 in 2021–25 (+121% — 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 Marathon County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Marathon County, Wisconsin are cold wave, lightning, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Marathon County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Marathon County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (4 declarations).
Has Marathon County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Marathon County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Marathon County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Wood County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Taylor County, WI has the lowest (Very Low). Marathon County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Marathon County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Marathon 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. Marathon County's composite score of 87 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 87% of US counties.