Marinette County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Marinette County has experienced 7 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Marinette 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 33% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (11th 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. Marinette County has been designated in 7 declarations since 1973, covering 5 disaster types including biological (2), flood (2), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
| 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 | 46.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 72.7 | 2 | 1 | $131K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 15.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 11.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 23.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 49 | 4 | 0 | $4.0M |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 75.2 | 22 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 54.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 68.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 46.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 98.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 82.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 18.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 18.2 | 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
Marinette County ranks in the 11th 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 | 11th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 12th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 13th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 7th | Very low |
| 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 | 16th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 16th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 73.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 28 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 12 in 2016–20 vs 16 in 2021–25 (+33% — 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 Marinette County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Marinette County, Wisconsin are cold wave, lightning, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Marinette County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Marinette County has received 7 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Marinette County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Marinette County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Marinette County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Oconto County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Menominee County, WI has the lowest (Very Low). Marinette County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Marinette County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Marinette 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. Marinette County's composite score of 80 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 80% of US counties.