Rock County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Rock County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Rock County's highest-rated hazards are hail, tornado, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 38% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (30th 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. Rock County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (7), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2008 | Snowstorm | Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1998 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 26.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 87.6 | 43 | 0 | $194K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 59.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 94.3 | 11 | 0 | $32.7M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 14.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 95.6 | 58 | 0 | $50K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 86.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 61.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 57.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 94.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 84.7 | 1 | 0 | $100K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 48 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 60.1 | 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
Rock County ranks in the 30th 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 | 30th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 22nd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 53rd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 51st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 31st | 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 | 12th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 12th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 28.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 124 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 52 in 2016–20 vs 72 in 2021–25 (+38% — 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 Rock County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Rock County, Wisconsin are hail, tornado, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Rock County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Rock County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Rock County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Rock County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Rock County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Dane County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Green County, WI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Rock County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Rock County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Rock 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. Rock County's composite score of 86 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 86% of US counties.