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Pierce County, Wisconsin

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

Very Low overall risk
58th of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$19Mexpected losses a year
11federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Pierce County, Wisconsin has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 58% of US counties. It ranks 58th of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $19 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $445 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2005 (Hurricane Katrina Evacuation). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (56 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.8 million on 126 claims here.

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

Top risks in Pierce County

$8.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$4 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.

Strong wind

Moderate
$2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
  • Have trees near the house checked.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow48.7
$9M
TornadoModerate73.4
$4M
Strong windModerate82.3
$2M
Cold waveLow58.3
$2M
HailModerate79.3
$1M
LightningLow46.5
$292K
Heat waveVery Low35.4
$256K
Winter weatherLow43.7
$74K
DroughtLow36.5
$68K
Ice stormVery Low22.9
$29K
LandslideLow81.4
$27K
WildfireVery Low17.8
$9K
EarthquakeVery Low3.3
$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 very low 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 Pierce County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood4
Severe Storm4
Tornado1
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 11, 2001Flooding, Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jul 24, 1998Severe Storms,Straigh Line Winds, Tornadoes,Rain,And FloodiMajor disaster
Jul 2, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 30, 1992Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 24, 1980Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1978Severe Storms, Flooding, Hail & TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency
Sep 15, 1975Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & Flash FloodsMajor disaster
May 1, 1969FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 11
Apr 21, 1965Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 333 storm reports in Pierce County since 1953, with 0 deaths and 6 injuries and about $36.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 24, 1958.

27tornadoes
129hail reports, largest 3 inches
154damaging thunderstorm winds
12floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 24, 1958F3–0 / 0
May 10, 1953F2–0 / 0
Jul 14, 2010EF2El Paso0 / 0
Jul 14, 2010EF2Beldenville0 / 0
Jul 22, 1967F2–3 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 1, 2001HailRiver Falls$20M
Jul 7, 2000HailRiver Falls$5M
Jun 29, 1996Thunderstorm WindHager City$4M
May 10, 1953Tornado–$3M
May 19, 1996Thunderstorm WindRiver Falls$1M
Jun 11, 2001Thunderstorm WindEllsworth$1M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 10, 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 Pierce County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (56 policies)
26.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2.8 millionpaid on 126 flood claims since 1978
1997costliest year, with $688,521 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 Pierce County

$333,700median 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
4.6%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; 17,152 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
Dakota County, MNModerate14
Washington County, MNModerate15
St. Croix CountyLow9
Goodhue County, MNLow16
Dunn CountyLow11
Pepin CountyVery Low11

Common questions about Pierce County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Pierce County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Pierce County, about $8.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $4 million.

How many federal disasters has Pierce County had?

Pierce County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Katrina Evacuation in September 2005.

Is Pierce County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 58th 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 Pierce County?

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

NOAA records list 27 tornadoes in Pierce County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 24, 1958. The weather service has also logged 129 hail reports and 12 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.