Home › Michigan › Marquette County

Marquette County, Michigan

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

Relatively Low overall risk
24th of 83highest risk in Michigan
$26Mexpected losses a year
9federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: Bold Frontiers, CC BY 2.0

Marquette County, Michigan has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 70% of US counties. It ranks 24th of 83 counties in Michigan. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and hail. FEMA estimates about $26 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $394 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (4 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2026 (severe storms, tornadoes and flooding). Only 38 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $233,000 on 21 claims here.

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

Top risks in Marquette County

$12.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 5 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$8 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.

Hail

High
$3.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Cold waveHigh96.2
$13M
Inland floodingLow59.1
$8M
HailHigh96.3
$3M
Strong windModerate51.9
$534K
LightningModerate73.4
$509K
Winter weatherHigh90.1
$375K
TornadoVery Low21.5
$244K
WildfireLow68.7
$147K
Heat waveVery Low22.7
$71K
Ice stormLow45.2
$62K
Coastal floodingVery Low34.6
$7K
DroughtVery Low17.9
$2K
EarthquakeVery Low1.7
$2K
LandslideVery Low38.7
$545

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 moderate 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 Marquette County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood3
Snowstorm2
Drought1
Freezing1
Fire1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Jun 30, 2026Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 18, 2013FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 6, 2002FloodingMajor disaster
May 6, 1999Mi - Tower Lake Mountain Fire - 05/06/1999Fire management
Jan 27, 1999Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99Emergency
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 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 550 storm reports in Marquette County since 1956, with 2 deaths and 8 injuries and about $81.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF1 tornado on May 24, 2016 near Clarksburg.

12tornadoes
229hail reports, largest 3.25 inches
243damaging thunderstorm winds
32floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 24, 2016EF1Clarksburg0 / 0
Jun 8, 2012EF1Huron Mtn0 / 0
May 24, 2016EF1Michigamme0 / 0
Jun 10, 2000F1Gwinn0 / 0
Aug 19, 1973F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 20, 2007HailMarquette$10M
Jun 20, 2007HailMarquette$10M
Jun 20, 2007HailMarquette$10M
Jun 20, 2007HailMarquette$8M
Apr 12, 2023FloodWitch Lake$7M
Jun 20, 2007HailHarvey$6M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 20, 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 Marquette County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (38 policies)
10.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$233,426paid on 21 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $130,458 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 Marquette County

$216,500median home value (Michigan $231,600, US $332,700)
1971median year homes were built (Michigan 1972, US 1980)
68%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.2%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; 33,607 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
Houghton CountyVery Low7
Delta CountyLow4
Dickinson CountyLow3
Menominee CountyLow6
Iron CountyLow5
Alger CountyVery Low3
Baraga CountyVery Low5
Keweenaw CountyVery Low3

Common questions about Marquette County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Marquette County?

Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Marquette County, about $12.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $8 million.

How many federal disasters has Marquette County had?

Marquette County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 4 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding in June 2026.

Is Marquette County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 24th 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 Marquette County?

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

NOAA records list 12 tornadoes in Marquette County since 1950. The strongest was an EF1 tornado on May 24, 2016 near Clarksburg. The weather service has also logged 229 hail reports and 32 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.