Milwaukee County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Milwaukee County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Milwaukee County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, heat wave, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 116% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (83rd percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Milwaukee County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1969, covering 5 disaster types including flood (8), severe storm (7), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2008 | Snowstorm | Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 29.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 97 | 27 | 4 | $66.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 35.6 | 2 | 0 | $10.7M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 80.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 99 | 14 | 3 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 99 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 18.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 86.2 | 69 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 94.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 96.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 77.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 100 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 61.7 | 4 | 0 | $448K |
| Drought | Very Low | 16.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 31 | 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
Milwaukee County ranks in the 83rd percentile (High) 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 | 83rd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 69th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 76th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 87th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 84th | 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 | 17th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 4.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 117 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 37 in 2016–20 vs 80 in 2021–25 (+116% — 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 Milwaukee County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin are cold wave, heat wave, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Milwaukee County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Milwaukee County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (8 declarations).
Has Milwaukee County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Milwaukee County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Mudslides (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Milwaukee County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Waukesha County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Ozaukee County, WI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Milwaukee County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Milwaukee County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Milwaukee 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. Milwaukee County's composite score of 98 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 98% of US counties.