Wayne County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wayne County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Wayne County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, strong wind, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 55% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (86th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Wayne County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (6), flood (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2003 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2001 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1999 | Snowstorm | Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 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 | 54.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very High | 99.4 | 35 | 0 | $209.8M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 49.6 | 22 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 94.7 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 99.3 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 99.5 | 8 | 1 | $960K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 57.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 46.5 | 20 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 99.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 94.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 99 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 58.2 | 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
Wayne County ranks in the 86th percentile (High) 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 | 86th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 82nd | High |
| Household characteristics | 88th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 88th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 64th | 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 | 12th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 11th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 4.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 87 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 60 in 2016–20 vs 27 in 2021–25 (-55% — frequency decreasing).
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 Wayne County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wayne County, Michigan are cold wave, strong wind, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Wayne County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wayne County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Wayne County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wayne County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Wayne County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Oakland County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Livingston County, MI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Wayne County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Wayne County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wayne 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. Wayne County's composite score of 99 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 99% of US counties.