Oscoda County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Oscoda County has experienced 8 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Oscoda County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, wildfire, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Oscoda County has been designated in 8 declarations since 1977, covering 6 disaster types including biological (2), snowstorm (2), flood (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1999 | Snowstorm | Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
| 1978 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
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 | Relatively Low | 76 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 25.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 7.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 10.1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 22.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 17.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 31.1 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 17.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 6.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 5.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 38.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 93.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 60.8 | 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
Oscoda County ranks in the 58th 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 | 58th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 88th | High |
| Household characteristics | 55th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 9th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 28th | 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 | 65th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 70th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 90.8% | — |
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 Oscoda County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Oscoda County, Michigan are lightning, wildfire, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Oscoda County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Oscoda County has received 8 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Oscoda County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Oscoda County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Oscoda County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Roscommon County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Montmorency County, MI has the lowest (Very Low). Oscoda County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Oscoda County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Oscoda 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. Oscoda County's composite score of 15 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 15% of US counties.