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Calumet County, Wisconsin

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

Very Low overall risk
66th of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$19Mexpected losses a year
9federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Calumet County, Wisconsin has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 70% of US counties. It ranks 66th of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $19 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $356 per resident. Since 1976 it has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2010 (severe storms, tornadoes and flooding). Only 48 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $62,000 on 24 claims here.

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

Top risks in Calumet County

$7.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$4.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 6 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$3.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low33.1
$7M
Cold waveModerate71.5
$4M
TornadoLow58.2
$3M
HailModerate81.9
$2M
Strong windLow41.3
$814K
Heat waveLow46.2
$587K
LightningLow54.3
$518K
Winter weatherLow33.7
$67K
EarthquakeVery Low15.4
$33K
Ice stormVery Low16.8
$22K
WildfireVery Low10.1
$6K
HurricaneVery Low10.2
$4K
LandslideVery Low24.5
$346

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 Calumet County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm5
Flood2
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 11, 2010Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 14, 2008Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 18, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 11, 2001Flooding, Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jul 2, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 13, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency
Mar 23, 1976Severe Storms, Icing, Wind & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 271 storm reports in Calumet County since 1954, with 2 deaths and 9 injuries and about $50.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on August 9, 1979.

24tornadoes
96hail reports, largest 4 inches
122damaging thunderstorm winds
15floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Aug 9, 1979F2–0 / 1
May 8, 1964F2–0 / 0
Jun 30, 1967F2–1 / 0
Apr 4, 1981F2–6 / 0
Jul 8, 1965F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 12, 2000HailStockbridge$32M
Jun 12, 2008Flash FloodSt Anna$5M
May 6, 2002HailAppleton$5M
May 8, 1964Tornado–$3M
Apr 13, 2006Thunderstorm WindHilbert$1M
May 31, 1998Thunderstorm WindSherwood$520K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 27, 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 Calumet County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (48 policies)
33%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$61,949paid on 24 flood claims since 1978
2019costliest year, with $24,781 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 Calumet County

$274,200median home value (Wisconsin $266,500, US $332,700)
1987median year homes were built (Wisconsin 1975, US 1980)
44%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
1.7%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; 22,493 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
Brown CountyModerate7
Outagamie CountyLow10
Winnebago CountyModerate10
Sheboygan CountyLow9
Fond du Lac CountyLow10
Manitowoc CountyLow7

Cities in Calumet County

Common questions about Calumet County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Calumet County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Calumet County, about $7.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $4.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Calumet County had?

Calumet County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1976, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2010.

Is Calumet County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 66th 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 Calumet County?

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

NOAA records list 24 tornadoes in Calumet County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on August 9, 1979. The weather service has also logged 96 hail reports and 15 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.