Oakland County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Oakland County has experienced 15 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Oakland County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, ice storm, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 51 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (14th 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. Oakland County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1975, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (5), flood (3), snowstorm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2003 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2001 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 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 | 58.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 97.5 | 15 | 0 | $6.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 86.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 97.4 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 99.7 | 4 | 0 | $8.5M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 51 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 93.8 | 32 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 98.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 91.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 99.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 83.2 | 1 | 0 | $5K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 78.3 | 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
Oakland County ranks in the 14th 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 | 14th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 13th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 12th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 67th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 21st | 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 | 10th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 9th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 24.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 51 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 27 in 2016–20 vs 24 in 2021–25 (-11% — 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 Oakland County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Oakland County, Michigan are tornado, ice storm, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Oakland County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Oakland County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Oakland County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Oakland County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Oakland 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 Lapeer County, MI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Oakland County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Oakland County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Oakland 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. Oakland County's composite score of 98 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 98% of US counties.