Saginaw County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Saginaw County has experienced 18 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.
Saginaw County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, strong wind, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Saginaw County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including flood (6), severe storm (6), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Dam/Levee Break | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1998 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 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 | 16 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 91.4 | 5 | 0 | $10.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 59.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 77.8 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 93.3 | 2 | 0 | $150K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 50.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 86 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 97.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 97.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 75.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 94.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 46.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 31.5 | 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
Saginaw County ranks in the 67th 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 | 67th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 60th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 68th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 69th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 60th | Moderate |
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 | 4th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 4th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 31.9% | — |
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 Saginaw County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Saginaw County, Michigan are winter weather, strong wind, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Saginaw County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Saginaw County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (6 declarations).
Has Saginaw County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Saginaw County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Saginaw County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Genesee County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Gratiot County, MI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Saginaw County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Saginaw County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Saginaw 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. Saginaw County's composite score of 89 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 89% of US counties.