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Jackson County, Wisconsin

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

Relatively Low overall risk
51st of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$13Mexpected losses a year
12federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Jackson County, Wisconsin has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 52% of US counties. It ranks 51st of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $13 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $614 per resident. Since 1976 it has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2026 (severe storms, tornadoes and flooding). Only 34 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $448,000 on 29 claims here.

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

Top risks in Jackson County

$6.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$3.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 8 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$1.1 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 floodingLow54.7
$6M
Cold waveModerate80.6
$3M
TornadoLow51.6
$1M
Strong windModerate70.6
$834K
HailModerate74.0
$563K
Heat waveLow53.4
$369K
LightningLow41.7
$145K
DroughtLow45.1
$85K
Ice stormLow47.4
$64K
Winter weatherLow39.1
$37K
LandslideLow85.6
$27K
WildfireVery Low31.0
$13K
EarthquakeVery Low6.4
$5K

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 moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Jackson County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm6
Flood4
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Jun 30, 2026Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 7, 2017Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudMajor disaster
Oct 20, 2016Severe Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Oct 21, 2010Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 18, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 11, 2001Flooding, Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 24, 2000Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 24, 1998Severe Storms,Straigh Line Winds, Tornadoes,Rain,And FloodiMajor disaster
Jul 2, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 12
Sep 30, 1992Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency

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 417 storm reports in Jackson County since 1954, with 2 deaths and 14 injuries and about $16.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 26, 1959.

21tornadoes
125hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
173damaging thunderstorm winds
76floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 26, 1959F3–0 / 0
Jun 26, 1969F2–0 / 0
Jun 18, 1954F2–0 / 0
May 4, 1964F2–2 / 0
May 4, 1959F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 23, 2010FloodNorth Bend$3M
Jun 26, 1969Tornado–$3M
Jul 20, 2017Flash FloodTaylor$2M
Sep 22, 2016FloodVaudreuil$825K
Aug 23, 2006HailMillston$550K
Apr 24, 1994Thunderstorm WindMelrose$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 20, 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 Jackson County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (34 policies)
10.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$447,740paid on 29 flood claims since 1978
2010costliest year, with $309,439 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 Jackson County

$196,100median home value (Wisconsin $266,500, US $332,700)
1979median year homes were built (Wisconsin 1975, US 1980)
51%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
11%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; 9,750 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
La Crosse CountyLow16
Eau Claire CountyLow7
Wood CountyLow11
Monroe CountyLow13
Clark CountyLow13
Trempealeau CountyLow13
Juneau CountyLow14

Common questions about Jackson County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Jackson County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Jackson County, about $6.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $3.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Jackson County had?

Jackson County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1976, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding in June 2026.

Is Jackson County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 51st 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 Jackson County?

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

NOAA records list 21 tornadoes in Jackson County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 26, 1959. The weather service has also logged 125 hail reports and 76 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.