Vilas County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Vilas County has experienced 6 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Vilas County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, strong wind, and winter weather, 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. Vilas County has been designated in 6 declarations since 1976, covering 4 disaster types including biological (2), flood (2), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1999 | Flood | Wi-Flood-07/20/99 |
| 1984 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
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 | 22.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 60.9 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 2.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 12.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 29.1 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 61.5 | 33 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 80.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 78.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 44.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 94.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 66.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 20.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 22.3 | 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
Vilas 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 | 20th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 9th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 43rd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 4th | 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 | 9th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 9th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 93.2% | — |
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 Vilas County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Vilas County, Wisconsin are cold wave, strong wind, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Vilas County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Vilas County has received 6 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Vilas County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Vilas County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Vilas County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Oneida County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Iron County, WI has the lowest (Very Low). Vilas County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Vilas County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Vilas 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. Vilas County's composite score of 63 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 63% of US counties.