Rusk County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Rusk County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Rusk County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, lightning, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (22nd 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. Rusk County has been designated in 12 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including flood (4), severe storm (3), biological (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 |
| 1999 | Flood | Wi-Flood-07/20/99 |
| 1993 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1978 | Severe Storm | Winds, Hail & Rain |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 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 | 6.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 44.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 2.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 28.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 34.4 | 3 | 0 | $940K |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 39.9 | 14 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 26.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 31 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 21 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 47.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 34.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 9.1 | 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
Rusk County ranks in the 22nd 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 | 22nd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 36th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 33rd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 10th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 18th | 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 | 6th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 6th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 73.7% | — |
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 Rusk County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Rusk County, Wisconsin are cold wave, lightning, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Rusk County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Rusk County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 declarations).
Has Rusk County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Rusk County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Rusk County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Sawyer County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Price County, WI has the lowest (Very Low). Rusk County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Rusk County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Rusk 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. Rusk County's composite score of 37 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 37% of US counties.