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Marinette County, Wisconsin

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

Relatively Low overall risk
12th of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$41Mexpected losses a year
5federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: Bold Frontiers, CC BY 2.0

Marinette County, Wisconsin has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 80% of US counties. It ranks 12th of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $41 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $986 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (3 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2019 (severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (77 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $234,000 on 22 claims here.

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

Top risks in Marinette County

$23.3 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.
$14.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 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.
$1.2 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Cold waveHigh98.3
$23M
Inland floodingLow72.7
$14M
TornadoLow49.0
$1M
LightningHigh82.1
$788K
HailModerate75.2
$690K
Strong windModerate54.8
$616K
Winter weatherModerate68.2
$119K
Heat waveVery Low23.8
$86K
Ice stormLow46.9
$73K
WildfireVery Low46.7
$38K
EarthquakeVery Low11.9
$12K
DroughtVery Low18.8
$3K
LandslideVery Low18.2
$93
Coastal floodingVery Low15.8
$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 moderate 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 Marinette County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood2
Drought1
Severe Storm1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 27, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jul 19, 2002Severe Storms and 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 1958

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 275 storm reports in Marinette County since 1958, with 4 deaths and 10 injuries and about $9.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on August 19, 1968.

24tornadoes
109hail reports, largest 3.5 inches
127damaging thunderstorm winds
8floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Aug 19, 1968F4–3 / 2
Sep 28, 1971F3–0 / 0
Jul 4, 1986F3–0 / 0
Jun 15, 2022EF2Athelstane0 / 0
May 17, 1958F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 15, 2022TornadoAthelstane$4M
Aug 19, 1968Tornado–$3M
Jul 23, 1994Thunderstorm WindAthelstane$505K
Jun 23, 2002Flash FloodSouth Portion$450K
May 17, 1958Tornado–$250K
Sep 28, 1971Tornado–$250K

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 Marinette County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (77 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$234,457paid on 22 flood claims since 1978
2020costliest year, with $170,608 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 Marinette County

$158,600median home value (Wisconsin $266,500, US $332,700)
1975median year homes were built (Wisconsin 1975, US 1980)
58%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; 29,484 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
Oconto CountyLow4
Door CountyLow4
Dickinson County, MILow3
Menominee County, MILow6
Forest CountyLow6
Florence CountyLow4

Common questions about Marinette County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Marinette County?

Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Marinette County, about $23.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $14.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Marinette County had?

Marinette County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 3 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in August 2019.

Is Marinette County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 12th 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 Marinette County?

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

NOAA records list 24 tornadoes in Marinette County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on August 19, 1968. The weather service has also logged 109 hail reports and 8 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.