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Otsego County, Michigan

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

Very Low overall risk
71st of 83highest risk in Michigan
$8Mexpected losses a year
5federal declarations
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Otsego 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 71st of 83 counties in Michigan. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and hail. FEMA estimates about $7.6 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 (1 major disaster). The most recent was in July 2025 (severe winter storm). No 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 Otsego County

$3.8 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.
$1.7 million 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.

Hail

Low
$671,386 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
Inland floodingVery Low29.0
$4M
Cold waveLow61.5
$2M
HailLow71.8
$671K
Strong windLow42.9
$494K
TornadoLow27.9
$492K
LightningModerate64.1
$437K
Heat waveVery Low17.7
$54K
WildfireVery Low45.0
$38K
Winter weatherVery Low13.5
$12K
EarthquakeVery Low10.1
$11K
Ice stormVery Low10.0
$6K
HurricaneVery Low18.0
$6K
LandslideLow64.9
$4K

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 low 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 Otsego County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Snowstorm2
Drought1
Hurricane1
Severe Ice Storm1

Most recent

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

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

Storm history since 1963

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 154 storm reports in Otsego County since 1963, with 2 deaths and 45 injuries and about $53.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on May 20, 2022 near Elmira.

5tornadoes
57hail reports, largest 2 inches
85damaging thunderstorm winds
3floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 20, 2022EF3Elmira44 / 2
Jul 3, 1974F3–0 / 0
Sep 1, 2014EF1Johannesburg0 / 0
Nov 17, 2013EF0Waters0 / 0
Jul 11, 1969n/a–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 20, 2022TornadoElmira$50M
Aug 28, 2018Thunderstorm WindGaylord Otsego Arpt$1M
Jul 22, 2009LightningGaylord$500K
Sep 4, 2014Thunderstorm WindOtsego Lake$295K
Jul 3, 1974Tornado–$250K
Sep 1, 2014TornadoJohannesburg$215K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 1, 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 Otsego County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (0 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 0 flood claims since 1978
n/acostliest year

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 Otsego County

$219,700median home value (Michigan $231,600, US $332,700)
1982median year homes were built (Michigan 1972, US 1980)
46%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
6.9%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; 14,882 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
Charlevoix CountyVery Low6
Cheboygan CountyLow6
Antrim CountyVery Low5
Kalkaska CountyVery Low5
Crawford CountyVery Low7
Montmorency CountyVery Low6
Oscoda CountyVery Low6

Common questions about Otsego County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Otsego County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Otsego County, about $3.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $1.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Otsego County had?

Otsego County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 1 major disaster. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in July 2025.

Is Otsego County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 71st 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 Otsego County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Otsego County had?

NOAA records list 5 tornadoes in Otsego County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on May 20, 2022 near Elmira. The weather service has also logged 57 hail reports and 3 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.