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Hillsdale County, Michigan

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

Relatively Low overall risk
43rd of 83highest risk in Michigan
$14Mexpected losses a year
6federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Hillsdale County, Michigan has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 50% of US counties. It ranks 43rd of 83 counties in Michigan. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $296 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (2 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2005 (Hurricane Katrina Evacuation). Only 21 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $184,000 on 13 claims here.

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

Top risks in Hillsdale County

$6.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$3.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
$1.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow56.5
$7M
TornadoModerate78.5
$3M
Cold waveLow64.0
$1M
Strong windModerate62.7
$656K
HailModerate73.1
$538K
LightningModerate75.1
$502K
EarthquakeVery Low50.5
$236K
Heat waveLow38.9
$181K
Ice stormModerate61.2
$118K
Winter weatherLow38.6
$36K
DroughtLow35.4
$36K
HurricaneVery Low33.2
$15K
WildfireVery Low18.0
$5K
LandslideVery Low60.3
$2K

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 Hillsdale County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Snowstorm3
Tornado2
Hurricane1

Most recent

Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 10, 2001SnowEmergency
Jan 27, 1978Blizzards & SnowstormsEmergency
Feb 5, 1977SnowstormsEmergency
Apr 12, 1974TornadoesMajor disaster
Apr 14, 1965Tornadoes & Severe StormsMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1958

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 329 storm reports in Hillsdale County since 1958, with 9 deaths and 138 injuries and about $57.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 11, 1965.

26tornadoes
62hail reports, largest 4 inches
234damaging thunderstorm winds
6floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 11, 1965F4–47 / 3
Apr 11, 1965F4–47 / 3
Mar 27, 1991F3–0 / 0
Apr 3, 1974F2–31 / 2
Jul 4, 1969F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 11, 1965Tornado–$25M
Mar 27, 1991Tornado–$25M
Apr 3, 1974Tornado–$3M
Apr 12, 1996HailReading$2M
Oct 24, 2001TornadoRansom$350K
Apr 23, 1968Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 11, 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 Hillsdale County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (21 policies)
8.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$184,327paid on 13 flood claims since 1978
2018costliest year, with $96,428 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 Hillsdale County

$176,100median home value (Michigan $231,600, US $332,700)
1971median year homes were built (Michigan 1972, US 1980)
62%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
9.2%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; 21,515 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
Jackson CountyLow8
Calhoun CountyLow6
Lenawee CountyLow4
Branch CountyLow4
Fulton County, OHVery Low7
Williams County, OHLow6
Steuben County, INVery Low10

Common questions about Hillsdale County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Hillsdale County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Hillsdale County, about $6.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $3.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Hillsdale County had?

Hillsdale County has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 2 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Katrina Evacuation in September 2005.

Is Hillsdale County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 43rd 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 Hillsdale County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Hillsdale 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 Hillsdale County had?

NOAA records list 26 tornadoes in Hillsdale County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 11, 1965. The weather service has also logged 62 hail reports and 6 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.