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Marquette County, Wisconsin

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

Relatively Low overall risk
52nd of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$13Mexpected losses a year
7federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: Bold Frontiers, CC BY 2.0

Marquette 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 52nd of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and hail. FEMA estimates about $13 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $865 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 45 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $432,000 on 33 claims here.

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

Top risks in Marquette County

Cold wave

Moderate
$5 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.
$4.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.

Hail

Moderate
$1.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Cold waveModerate86.9
$5M
Inland floodingLow43.5
$5M
HailModerate87.1
$1M
TornadoLow52.9
$1M
Heat waveLow62.7
$587K
Strong windLow42.6
$395K
LightningVery Low17.2
$53K
DroughtLow35.2
$37K
Winter weatherLow26.2
$22K
WildfireVery Low36.7
$19K
EarthquakeVery Low13.4
$12K
Ice stormVery Low8.2
$4K
LandslideVery Low46.2
$964
HurricaneVery Low7.6
$734

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 moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Marquette 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 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 240 storm reports in Marquette County since 1955, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries and about $19.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on June 23, 2004 near Packwaukee.

25tornadoes
75hail reports, largest 4.25 inches
128damaging thunderstorm winds
11floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 23, 2004F2Packwaukee0 / 0
Jul 31, 1955F2–0 / 0
Jul 8, 1959F2–0 / 0
Jun 7, 2008EF1Briggsville0 / 0
Aug 18, 2005F1Westfield0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 7, 2008Flash FloodEndeavor$11M
Aug 28, 2018Thunderstorm WindOxford$2M
Aug 29, 2018FloodMontello$2M
Jun 23, 2004TornadoPackwaukee$2M
May 12, 2000HailWestfield$1M
Jun 7, 2008TornadoBriggsville$350K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 16, 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 Marquette County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (45 policies)
15.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$431,853paid on 33 flood claims since 1978
2008costliest year, with $259,815 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 Marquette County

$210,400median home value (Wisconsin $266,500, US $332,700)
1977median year homes were built (Wisconsin 1975, US 1980)
56%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
10.6%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; 9,827 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
Columbia CountyModerate9
Waushara CountyLow8
Adams CountyLow10
Green Lake CountyLow7

Common questions about Marquette County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Marquette County?

Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Marquette County, about $5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $4.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Marquette County had?

Marquette 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 Marquette County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 52nd 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 Marquette County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Marquette 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 Marquette County had?

NOAA records list 25 tornadoes in Marquette County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on June 23, 2004 near Packwaukee. The weather service has also logged 75 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.