Monroe County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Monroe County has experienced 11 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Monroe County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, tornado, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 59% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (16th 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. Monroe County has been designated in 11 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (4), biological (2), snowstorm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Other | Power Outage |
| 1999 | Snowstorm | Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
| 1982 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1978 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1973 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 11 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 | 33.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 87.4 | 4 | 0 | $5.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 46 | 18 | 0 | $5.0M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 73.3 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 73.9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 89.2 | 8 | 0 | $2.0M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 44.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 83.7 | 17 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 93.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 76.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 84.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 84 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 54.1 | 3 | 0 | $37K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 27.5 | 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
Monroe County ranks in the 16th 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 | 16th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 28th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 11th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 29th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 20th | 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 | 6th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 6th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 34.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 48 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 34 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (-59% — 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 Monroe County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Monroe County, Michigan are strong wind, tornado, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Monroe County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Monroe County has received 11 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 declarations).
Has Monroe County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Monroe County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Monroe County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Wayne County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Ottawa County, OH has the lowest (Relatively Low). Monroe County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Monroe County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Monroe 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. Monroe County's composite score of 83 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 83% of US counties.