Van Buren County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Van Buren County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Van Buren County's highest-rated hazards are hail, strong wind, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Van Buren County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including snowstorm (4), flood (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1999 | Snowstorm | Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
| 1986 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1980 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
| 1980 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 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 | 26.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 62 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 23.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 52.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 44.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 77 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 29 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 95.4 | 9 | 0 | $15K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 92.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 59.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 84.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 58.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 52.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 53.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Van Buren County ranks in the 65th 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 | 65th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 56th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 74th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 53rd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 63rd | 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 | 8th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 7th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 67.9% | — |
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 Van Buren County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Van Buren County, Michigan are hail, strong wind, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Van Buren County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Van Buren County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is snowstorm (4 declarations).
Has Van Buren County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Van Buren County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Van Buren County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, St. Joseph County, IN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Cass County, MI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Van Buren County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Van Buren County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Van Buren 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. Van Buren County's composite score of 61 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 61% of US counties.