Polk County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Polk County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Polk County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, strong wind, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 25% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (7th 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. Polk County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including biological (2), flood (2), severe storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 2001 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 2000 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 1978 | Severe Storm | Winds, Hail & Rain |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
| 1965 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 | 41.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 55.2 | 1 | 0 | $18K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 5.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 60.1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 76.5 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 88.4 | 25 | 0 | $500K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 88.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 56.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 43.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 90.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 71.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 27.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 19.2 | 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
Polk County ranks in the 7th 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 | 7th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 16th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 10th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 9th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 13th | 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 | 29th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 30th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 75.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 36 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 20 in 2021–25 (+25% — 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 Polk County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Polk County, Wisconsin are cold wave, strong wind, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Polk County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Polk County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Polk County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Polk County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Polk County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Anoka County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Chisago County, MN has the lowest (Relatively Low). Polk County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Polk County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Polk 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. Polk County's composite score of 63 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 63% of US counties.