Home › Michigan › Livingston County

Livingston County, Michigan

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

Relatively Low overall risk
17th of 83highest risk in Michigan
$55Mexpected losses a year
6federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Livingston County, Michigan has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 74% of US counties. It ranks 17th of 83 counties in Michigan. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $55 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $287 per resident. Since 1975 it has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (3 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2024 (severe storms, tornadoes and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (228 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $991,000 on 128 claims here.

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

Top risks in Livingston County

$26.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.
$13.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$6.7 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 floodingModerate74.0
$27M
TornadoHigh91.5
$14M
Cold waveModerate80.9
$7M
Strong windHigh93.8
$5M
Heat waveLow64.2
$1M
Ice stormModerate80.0
$699K
HailLow60.0
$653K
LightningLow54.6
$474K
EarthquakeVery Low48.4
$435K
Winter weatherLow55.5
$134K
WildfireVery Low37.6
$38K
HurricaneVery Low23.6
$14K
LandslideVery Low61.9
$5K

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 very low and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Flood2
Snowstorm2
Severe Storm1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Feb 8, 2024Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 30, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 10, 2001SnowEmergency
Jan 27, 1978Blizzards & SnowstormsEmergency
Apr 26, 1975Severe Storms, High Winds & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1951

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 459 storm reports in Livingston County since 1951, with 3 deaths and 34 injuries and about $24.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on July 4, 1957.

29tornadoes
88hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
320damaging thunderstorm winds
9floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jul 4, 1957F4–4 / 0
May 11, 1974F3–0 / 1
Jun 8, 1953F3–7 / 0
Aug 24, 2007EF2Fowlerville0 / 0
May 21, 2001F2Hartland3 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 24, 2007TornadoFowlerville$7M
May 21, 2001TornadoHartland$3M
Jun 8, 1953Tornado–$3M
Aug 14, 1988Tornado–$3M
Aug 10, 1998LightningBrighton$2M
Jun 15, 2023HailFleming$1M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 10, 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 Livingston County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (228 policies)
14.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$991,482paid on 128 flood claims since 1978
2004costliest year, with $404,409 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 Livingston County

$356,800median home value (Michigan $231,600, US $332,700)
1991median year homes were built (Michigan 1972, US 1980)
37%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
5.8%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; 80,367 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
Oakland CountyHigh12
Genesee CountyModerate10
Washtenaw CountyModerate9
Ingham CountyModerate9
Jackson CountyLow8
Shiawassee CountyLow12

Common questions about Livingston County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Livingston County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Livingston County, about $26.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $13.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Livingston County had?

Livingston County has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1975, including 3 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding in February 2024.

Is Livingston County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 17th 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 Livingston County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Livingston 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 Livingston County had?

NOAA records list 29 tornadoes in Livingston County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on July 4, 1957. The weather service has also logged 88 hail reports and 9 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.