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Ashland County, Wisconsin

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

Very Low overall risk
65th of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$9Mexpected losses a year
12federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: Bold Frontiers, CC BY 2.0

Ashland County, Wisconsin has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 68% of US counties. It ranks 65th of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and lightning. FEMA estimates about $8.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $538 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2018 (severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding). Only 20 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $489,000 on 11 claims here.

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

Top risks in Ashland County

Cold wave

Moderate
$5.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 9 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$2.8 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.
$242,282 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 28 times a year.
  • Go indoors when you hear thunder.
  • Use surge protectors for electronics.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Cold waveModerate88.0
$5M
Inland floodingVery Low28.2
$3M
LightningLow55.8
$242K
Winter weatherModerate77.9
$158K
Strong windLow17.0
$125K
TornadoVery Low13.8
$101K
HailVery Low23.5
$72K
Heat waveVery Low23.2
$70K
Ice stormVery Low12.0
$5K
DroughtVery Low17.4
$2K
WildfireVery Low5.4
$1K
EarthquakeVery Low0.3
$164
LandslideVery Low10.5
$25
Coastal floodingVery Low14.6
$0

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 Ashland County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood5
Severe Storm4
Tornado1
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 10, 2018Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 9, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 8, 2013Severe Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Aug 2, 2012Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 11, 2001Flooding, Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 24, 2000Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 16, 1999Wi-Flood-07/20/99Major disaster
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency
Sep 10, 1972Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 12
May 1, 1969FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 21, 1965Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

Wisconsin also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1961

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 210 storm reports in Ashland County since 1961, with 2 deaths and 3 injuries and about $601,280 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on August 14, 1961.

11tornadoes
73hail reports, largest 3 inches
104damaging thunderstorm winds
20floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Aug 14, 1961F2–0 / 0
Jul 27, 2010EF2Morse0 / 0
Jul 19, 1980F1–0 / 0
Jul 18, 2020EF1Sandborn0 / 0
Sep 16, 1992F0–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 14, 1961Tornado–$250K
Jun 6, 1999Thunderstorm WindMarengo$150K
Jul 1, 2011LightningAshland$80K
Jul 1, 2011Thunderstorm WindMarengo$50K
Jul 19, 1980Tornado–$25K
Sep 16, 1992Tornado–$25K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 17, 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 Ashland County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (20 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$489,259paid on 11 flood claims since 1978
2024costliest year, with $255,000 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 Ashland County

$170,300median home value (Wisconsin $266,500, US $332,700)
1972median year homes were built (Wisconsin 1975, US 1980)
62%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
6.4%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; 9,445 housing units.

Compare in Wisconsin

All 72 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Milwaukee CountyHighCold wave
Dane CountyModerateInland flooding
Waukesha CountyModerateInland flooding
Brown CountyModerateInland flooding
Racine CountyModerateInland flooding
Outagamie CountyLowInland flooding
Winnebago CountyModerateInland flooding
Kenosha CountyModerateCold wave

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Sawyer CountyLow7
Bayfield CountyVery Low10
Gogebic County, MIVery Low7
Price CountyVery Low6
Lake County, MNVery Low10
Iron CountyVery Low10
Ontonagon County, MIVery Low6
Cook County, MNVery Low8

Common questions about Ashland County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Ashland County?

Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Ashland County, about $5.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Ashland County had?

Ashland County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in August 2018.

Is Ashland County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 65th highest of 72 in Wisconsin. 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 Ashland County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Ashland 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 Ashland County had?

NOAA records list 11 tornadoes in Ashland County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on August 14, 1961. The weather service has also logged 73 hail reports and 20 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.