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Crawford County, Michigan

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
72nd of 83highest risk in Michigan
$5Mexpected losses a year
7federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Crawford County, Michigan has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 82% of US counties. It ranks 72nd of 83 counties in Michigan. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $5.3 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $411 per resident. Since 1975 it has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (3 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2026 (severe storms, tornadoes and flooding). Only 23 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Crawford County

$3.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 30 years.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
$742,457 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$311,224 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 10 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow35.5
$3M
Cold waveLow49.9
$742K
TornadoLow26.3
$311K
LightningModerate62.8
$291K
WildfireLow75.2
$207K
Winter weatherModerate83.9
$200K
Strong windLow23.1
$168K
HailVery Low33.1
$106K
Heat waveVery Low10.8
$16K
EarthquakeVery Low7.1
$5K
Ice stormVery Low8.7
$3K
HurricaneVery Low13.3
$2K
LandslideVery Low47.3
$906

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively high and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Crawford County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood2
Snowstorm2
Drought1
Hurricane1
Severe Ice Storm1

Most recent

Jun 30, 2026Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 22, 2025Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 27, 1999Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99Emergency
Jan 27, 1978Blizzards & SnowstormsEmergency
Mar 2, 1977DroughtEmergency
Apr 26, 1975Severe Storms, High Winds & FloodingMajor disaster

Michigan also had 6 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1967

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 124 storm reports in Crawford County since 1967, with 0 deaths and 15 injuries and about $2.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on April 19, 1975.

12tornadoes
46hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
63damaging thunderstorm winds
2floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 19, 1975F2–14 / 0
May 20, 1973F2–0 / 0
Sep 1, 2014EF1Frederic0 / 0
Jun 18, 2012EF1Grayling0 / 0
Aug 30, 1993F1Grayling0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 2, 2015Thunderstorm WindFrederic$1M
Jul 13, 1995Thunderstorm WindGrayling$500K
Apr 19, 1975Tornado–$250K
Sep 1, 2014TornadoFrederic$85K
Jul 24, 2005Thunderstorm WindFrederic$70K
Jun 18, 2012TornadoGrayling$60K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 27, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Flood insurance in Crawford County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (23 policies)
3.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$121,604paid on 1 flood claims since 1978
2026costliest year, with $121,604 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Crawford County

$163,000median home value (Michigan $231,600, US $332,700)
1980median year homes were built (Michigan 1972, US 1980)
51%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
11.1%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 10,330 housing units.

Compare in Michigan

All 83 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Wayne CountyHighInland flooding
Oakland CountyHighInland flooding
Macomb CountyHighInland flooding
Kent CountyModerateInland flooding
Genesee CountyModerateInland flooding
Washtenaw CountyModerateInland flooding
Ottawa CountyModerateInland flooding
Ingham CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Otsego CountyVery Low5
Roscommon CountyLow5
Antrim CountyVery Low5
Ogemaw CountyVery Low5
Kalkaska CountyVery Low5
Missaukee CountyVery Low5
Montmorency CountyVery Low6
Oscoda CountyVery Low6

Common questions about Crawford County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Crawford County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Crawford County, about $3.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $742,457.

How many federal disasters has Crawford County had?

Crawford County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1975, including 3 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding in June 2026.

Is Crawford County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 72nd highest of 83 in Michigan. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Crawford County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Crawford County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Crawford County had?

NOAA records list 12 tornadoes in Crawford County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on April 19, 1975. The weather service has also logged 46 hail reports and 2 floods here.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.