Otsego County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Otsego County has experienced 7 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Otsego County's highest-rated hazards are hail, landslide, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (28th 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. Otsego County has been designated in 7 declarations since 1977, covering 5 disaster types including biological (2), snowstorm (2), severe ice storm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Very Low | 45 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 29 | 2 | 0 | $16K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 10.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 17.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 27.9 | 1 | 2 | $50.0M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 18 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 71.8 | 14 | 0 | $5K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 42.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 13.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 10 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 61.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 64.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 64.9 | 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
Otsego County ranks in the 28th percentile (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 | 28th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 33rd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 57th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 10th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 23rd | 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 | 33rd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 34th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 80.4% | — |
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 Otsego County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Otsego County, Michigan are hail, landslide, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Otsego County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Otsego County has received 7 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Otsego County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Otsego County include Severe Winter Storm (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Otsego County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Cheboygan County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Oscoda County, MI has the lowest (Very Low). Otsego County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Otsego County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Otsego 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. Otsego County's composite score of 18 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 18% of US counties.