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Oneida County, Wisconsin

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

Relatively Low overall risk
38th of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$24Mexpected losses a year
7federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: Bold Frontiers, CC BY 2.0

Oneida 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 38th of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $24 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $632 per resident. Since 1976 it has been included in 7 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). Only 28 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Oneida County

$11.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 9 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$9.8 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.
$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 waveHigh94.5
$11M
Inland floodingLow61.1
$10M
TornadoLow46.7
$1M
LightningModerate76.0
$651K
Strong windLow29.9
$305K
HailLow51.9
$297K
Winter weatherModerate77.7
$193K
Heat waveVery Low14.8
$37K
Ice stormLow29.1
$31K
DroughtVery Low29.2
$24K
WildfireVery Low27.2
$13K
EarthquakeVery Low5.2
$5K
LandslideVery Low19.7
$117

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 Oneida County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood3
Severe Storm2
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 27, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 24, 2000Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 16, 1999Wi-Flood-07/20/99Major disaster
Jul 10, 1984Severe Storms & FloodingEmergency
Oct 3, 1977Winds, Hail & RainEmergency
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency

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 359 storm reports in Oneida County since 1950, with 6 deaths and 40 injuries and about $55.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on June 25, 1950.

22tornadoes
144hail reports, largest 3 inches
169damaging thunderstorm winds
9floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 25, 1950F4–12 / 2
Jun 8, 1985F3–16 / 2
Apr 27, 1984F3–5 / 1
Jun 13, 1981F2–0 / 0
Jul 4, 1986F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 8, 1985Tornado–$25M
Apr 27, 1984Tornado–$25M
Jul 18, 2001LightningRhinelander$750K
Jul 30, 1999Thunderstorm WindLake Tomahawk$500K
Jul 19, 2019TornadoLake George$400K
Jul 25, 2020LightningMinocqua Woodruff Ar$306K

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 Oneida County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (28 policies)
7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$14,773paid on 4 flood claims since 1978
2017costliest year, with $14,773 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 Oneida County

$238,400median home value (Wisconsin $266,500, US $332,700)
1980median year homes were built (Wisconsin 1975, US 1980)
50%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
6.2%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; 30,814 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
Lincoln CountyLow7
Vilas CountyLow5
Langlade CountyLow6
Price CountyVery Low6
Forest CountyLow6

Common questions about Oneida County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Oneida County?

Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Oneida County, about $11.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $9.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Oneida County had?

Oneida County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1976, including 3 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in August 2019.

Is Oneida County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 38th 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 Oneida County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Oneida 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 Oneida County had?

NOAA records list 22 tornadoes in Oneida County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on June 25, 1950. The weather service has also logged 144 hail reports and 9 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.