Mecosta County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Mecosta County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Mecosta County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, winter weather, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Mecosta County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1975, covering 6 disaster types including flood (4), snowstorm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 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 |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1999 | Snowstorm | Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
| 1986 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1985 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1978 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 total declarations since 1975.
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 | 29.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 62.8 | 2 | 0 | $2.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 27.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 29 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 62.8 | 2 | 0 | $250K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 27.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 46.2 | 6 | 0 | $250K |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 99.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 92.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 51.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 65.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 50.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 68.5 | 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
Mecosta County ranks in the 61st percentile (Moderate) 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 | 61st | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 61st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 24th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 28th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 91st | High |
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 | 18th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 18th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 67.3% | — |
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 Mecosta County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Mecosta County, Michigan are strong wind, winter weather, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Mecosta County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Mecosta County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 declarations).
Has Mecosta County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Mecosta County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Mecosta County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Isabella County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Lake County, MI has the lowest (Very Low). Mecosta County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Mecosta County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Mecosta 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. Mecosta County's composite score of 70 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 70% of US counties.