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Chippewa County, Wisconsin

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

Relatively Low overall risk
32nd of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$32Mexpected losses a year
9federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Chippewa County, Wisconsin has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 67% of US counties. It ranks 32nd of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $32 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $478 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2016 (severe storms, flooding and mudslides). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (85 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $337,000 on 46 claims here.

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

Top risks in Chippewa County

$16.4 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.
$8 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$3.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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 floodingLow71.0
$16M
Cold waveHigh89.5
$8M
TornadoModerate70.9
$3M
Strong windModerate81.7
$2M
HailModerate79.2
$1M
LightningModerate69.4
$585K
Heat waveLow54.6
$555K
Winter weatherModerate61.6
$116K
Ice stormLow50.0
$102K
EarthquakeVery Low10.3
$12K
WildfireVery Low20.0
$9K
LandslideLow66.9
$5K
DroughtVery Low12.9
$21

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 Chippewa County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood4
Severe Storm2
Drought1
Tornado1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Oct 20, 2016Severe Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 18, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
May 11, 2001Flooding, Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jul 2, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 24, 1980Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency
Apr 27, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 441 storm reports in Chippewa County since 1953, with 6 deaths and 119 injuries and about $45.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on June 4, 1958.

35tornadoes
144hail reports, largest 3 inches
225damaging thunderstorm winds
20floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 4, 1958F4–50 / 3
Jul 30, 1977F4–20 / 0
May 10, 1953F4–0 / 0
Sep 24, 2019EF3Albertville3 / 0
Jun 4, 1958F3–3 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 30, 1977Tornado–$25M
Sep 24, 2019TornadoAlbertville$3M
Jul 30, 1977Tornado–$3M
Jul 15, 1980Tornado–$3M
May 10, 1953Tornado–$3M
Jun 4, 1958Tornado–$3M

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 Chippewa County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (85 policies)
8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$336,747paid on 46 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $200,850 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 Chippewa County

$257,900median home value (Wisconsin $266,500, US $332,700)
1978median year homes were built (Wisconsin 1975, US 1980)
54%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.7%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; 29,366 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
Eau Claire CountyLow7
Barron CountyLow8
Dunn CountyLow11
Clark CountyLow13
Taylor CountyVery Low6
Rusk CountyVery Low10

Cities in Chippewa County

Common questions about Chippewa County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Chippewa County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Chippewa County, about $16.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $8 million.

How many federal disasters has Chippewa County had?

Chippewa County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides in October 2016.

Is Chippewa County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 32nd 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 Chippewa County?

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

NOAA records list 35 tornadoes in Chippewa County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on June 4, 1958. The weather service has also logged 144 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.