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Oconto County, Wisconsin

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

Relatively Low overall risk
40th of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$22Mexpected losses a year
4federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Oconto County, Wisconsin has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 62% of US counties. It ranks 40th of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $22 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $577 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 4 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (2 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 (105 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.0 million on 132 claims here, including $565,000 for floods in 2019.

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

Top risks in Oconto County

$12.5 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$5.6 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.
$1.8 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 floodingLow68.8
$13M
Cold waveModerate86.7
$6M
TornadoLow60.3
$2M
LightningHigh86.5
$1M
HailModerate73.6
$665K
Strong windModerate52.2
$595K
Heat waveVery Low28.2
$122K
Winter weatherLow38.6
$43K
Ice stormLow32.1
$37K
WildfireVery Low38.8
$24K
EarthquakeVery Low13.0
$13K
Coastal floodingVery Low37.8
$13K
LandslideLow63.3
$3K
DroughtVery Low13.1
$59

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 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 Oconto County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood2
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 27, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency
Apr 27, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1965

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 244 storm reports in Oconto County since 1965, with 2 deaths and 10 injuries and about $16.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on September 28, 1971.

15tornadoes
86hail reports, largest 4 inches
115damaging thunderstorm winds
20floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Sep 28, 1971F3–4 / 0
Jun 7, 2007EF2Mountain2 / 0
Jun 16, 1979F2–0 / 0
Jun 4, 1966F2–0 / 0
Jun 4, 1966F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 7, 2007TornadoMountain$11M
Jul 1, 2006HailHayes$3M
Dec 30, 2019FloodOconto$384K
Jul 19, 2019Thunderstorm WindKlondike$350K
May 12, 2022Flash FloodKlondike$335K
Jul 19, 2019Thunderstorm WindMountain$300K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 24, 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 Oconto County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (105 policies)
17.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1 millionpaid on 132 flood claims since 1978
2019costliest year, with $565,386 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 Oconto County

$231,400median home value (Wisconsin $266,500, US $332,700)
1981median year homes were built (Wisconsin 1975, US 1980)
49%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; 24,072 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
Brown CountyModerate7
Marinette CountyLow5
Shawano CountyLow6
Door CountyLow4
Langlade CountyLow6
Forest CountyLow6
Menominee CountyVery Low5

Common questions about Oconto County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Oconto County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Oconto County, about $12.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $5.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Oconto County had?

Oconto County has been included in 4 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 2 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in August 2019.

Is Oconto County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 40th 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 Oconto County?

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

NOAA records list 15 tornadoes in Oconto County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on September 28, 1971. The weather service has also logged 86 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.