Walworth County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Walworth County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Walworth County's highest-rated hazards are hail, tornado, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 83 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (21st 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. Walworth County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including snowstorm (3), severe storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2008 | Snowstorm | Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2000 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 1976 | Flood | Severe Storms, Icing, Wind & Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 25.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 73.2 | 10 | 0 | $10.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 52.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 74 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 88.2 | 14 | 0 | $1.2M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 12.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 94.8 | 46 | 0 | $1K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 81.1 | 1 | 0 | $30K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 53.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 44.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 75.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 43.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 65.2 | 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
Walworth County ranks in the 21st 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 | 21st | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 20th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 16th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 44th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 36th | 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 | 14th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 14th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 47.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 83 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 41 in 2016–20 vs 42 in 2021–25 (+2% — relatively stable).
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 Walworth County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Walworth County, Wisconsin are hail, tornado, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Walworth County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Walworth County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is snowstorm (3 declarations).
Has Walworth County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Walworth County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Walworth County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, McHenry County, IL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Boone County, IL has the lowest (Relatively Low). Walworth County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Walworth County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Walworth 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. Walworth County's composite score of 75 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 75% of US counties.