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Mackinac County, Michigan

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

Very Low overall risk
79th of 83highest risk in Michigan
$3Mexpected losses a year
5federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Mackinac County, Michigan has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 91% of US counties. It ranks 79th of 83 counties in Michigan. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and lightning. FEMA estimates about $3.3 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $304 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (2 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2025 (severe winter storm). Only 38 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 Mackinac County

$2.5 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.
$534,000 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.
$83,971 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 23 times a year.
  • Go indoors when you hear thunder.
  • Use surge protectors for electronics.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low29.7
$3M
Cold waveLow42.9
$534K
LightningLow31.6
$84K
TornadoVery Low9.3
$41K
HailVery Low12.7
$30K
WildfireVery Low47.6
$30K
Strong windVery Low5.9
$29K
Winter weatherVery Low15.1
$9K
Coastal floodingVery Low36.8
$7K
EarthquakeVery Low6.1
$4K
Heat waveVery Low4.4
$3K
HurricaneVery Low15.3
$3K
LandslideVery Low52.7
$1K
Ice stormVery Low3.2
$966

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 high 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 Mackinac County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Drought1
Snowstorm1
Freezing1
Hurricane1
Severe Ice Storm1

Most recent

Jul 22, 2025Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 10, 1994Severe Deep FreezeMajor disaster
Jan 27, 1978Blizzards & SnowstormsEmergency
Mar 2, 1977DroughtEmergency

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

Storm history since 1975

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 59 storm reports in Mackinac County since 1975, with 0 deaths and 1 injury and about $360,000 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on July 14, 1984.

4tornadoes
18hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
31damaging thunderstorm winds
5floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jul 14, 1984F2–1 / 0
Aug 16, 1988F1–0 / 0
May 23, 2011EF0Manistique Lake0 / 0
Jul 13, 1995n/aCut River Bridge0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 9, 2000LightningSt Ignace$150K
Jul 13, 1995Thunderstorm WindBrevort Lake$50K
Aug 2, 2004Flash FloodEpoufette$40K
Jun 7, 2007Thunderstorm WindMackinac Is$35K
Jul 14, 1984Tornado–$25K
Sep 24, 2010Flash FloodMoran$18K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 14, 2025. 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 Mackinac County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (38 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$8,898paid on 6 flood claims since 1978
2017costliest year, with $6,641 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 Mackinac County

$174,500median home value (Michigan $231,600, US $332,700)
1976median year homes were built (Michigan 1972, US 1980)
56%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
7.4%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; 10,597 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
Chippewa CountyVery Low5
Emmet CountyVery Low5
Charlevoix CountyVery Low6
Cheboygan CountyLow6
Presque Isle CountyVery Low5
Schoolcraft CountyVery Low4
Luce CountyVery Low3

Common questions about Mackinac County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Mackinac County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Mackinac County, about $2.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $534,000.

How many federal disasters has Mackinac County had?

Mackinac County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 2 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in July 2025.

Is Mackinac County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 79th 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 Mackinac County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Mackinac 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 Mackinac County had?

NOAA records list 4 tornadoes in Mackinac County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on July 14, 1984. The weather service has also logged 18 hail reports and 5 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.