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Green Lake County, Wisconsin

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

Relatively Low overall risk
43rd of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$14Mexpected losses a year
7federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Green Lake County, Wisconsin has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 58% of US counties. It ranks 43rd of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $750 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (5 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2018 (severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, flooding and landslides). Only 36 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $465,000 on 53 claims here.

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

Top risks in Green Lake County

$7 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$2.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$2.2 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow62.3
$7M
TornadoModerate75.1
$2M
Cold waveModerate77.2
$2M
HailModerate93.1
$2M
Strong windModerate68.0
$651K
Heat waveLow54.9
$336K
LightningLow27.8
$72K
DroughtLow43.3
$64K
EarthquakeVery Low24.0
$29K
WildfireVery Low47.1
$28K
Winter weatherLow34.4
$26K
Ice stormVery Low22.0
$14K
HurricaneVery Low12.7
$2K
LandslideVery Low47.0
$810

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 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 Green Lake County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm3
Flood2
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Oct 18, 2018Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and LandslidesMajor disaster
Jun 14, 2008Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 18, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 2, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & 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 1950

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 219 storm reports in Green Lake County since 1950, with 8 deaths and 58 injuries and about $22.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1956.

33tornadoes
73hail reports, largest 3 inches
98damaging thunderstorm winds
11floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 3, 1956F4–50 / 7
Jun 23, 2004F3Markesan1 / 1
Jun 8, 1984F3–0 / 0
Jun 23, 2004F3Manchester0 / 0
Jun 25, 1950F3–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 3, 1997Thunderstorm WindBerlin$6M
Apr 3, 1956Tornado–$3M
Jun 8, 1984Tornado–$3M
May 11, 1985Tornado–$3M
Sep 7, 1992Tornado–$3M
Jun 23, 2004TornadoManchester$2M

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 Green Lake County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (36 policies)
10.4%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$464,667paid on 53 flood claims since 1978
2008costliest year, with $169,043 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 Green Lake County

$215,400median home value (Wisconsin $266,500, US $332,700)
1971median year homes were built (Wisconsin 1975, US 1980)
65%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
3.8%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; 10,772 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
Winnebago CountyModerate10
Fond du Lac CountyLow10
Dodge CountyLow11
Columbia CountyModerate9
Waushara CountyLow8
Marquette CountyLow7

Common questions about Green Lake County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Green Lake County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Green Lake County, about $7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Green Lake County had?

Green Lake County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 5 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Landslides in October 2018.

Is Green Lake County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 43rd 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 Green Lake County?

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

NOAA records list 33 tornadoes in Green Lake County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1956. The weather service has also logged 73 hail reports and 11 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.