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Price County, Wisconsin

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

Very Low overall risk
64th of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$9Mexpected losses a year
6federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Price County, Wisconsin has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 68% of US counties. It ranks 64th of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $9.2 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $653 per resident. Since 1976 it has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (3 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2005 (Hurricane Katrina Evacuation). Only 24 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 Price County

$4.1 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$4 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.
$574,360 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 floodingLow38.7
$4M
Cold waveModerate83.2
$4M
TornadoLow34.3
$574K
LightningLow52.5
$225K
Strong windLow25.3
$212K
Heat waveVery Low20.6
$58K
HailVery Low14.4
$42K
Ice stormVery Low26.8
$23K
DroughtVery Low24.3
$9K
Winter weatherVery Low12.1
$9K
WildfireVery Low13.7
$4K
EarthquakeVery Low2.4
$2K
LandslideVery Low9.8
$24

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 Price County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm2
Drought1
Flood1
Tornado1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 10, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 16, 1999Wi-Flood-07/20/99Major disaster
Jul 2, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
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 345 storm reports in Price County since 1950, with 0 deaths and 29 injuries and about $28.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on June 8, 1985.

25tornadoes
164hail reports, largest 3 inches
138damaging thunderstorm winds
17floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 8, 1985F3–26 / 0
Apr 26, 1994F2Ogema To0 / 0
Jun 25, 1950F2–0 / 0
Sep 20, 1972F2–0 / 0
Jun 26, 1969F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 8, 1985Tornado–$25M
Apr 26, 1994TornadoOgema To$1M
Jul 14, 1995HailFifield$600K
Jul 30, 1999Thunderstorm WindPhillips$500K
Jun 25, 1950Tornado–$250K
Jun 26, 1969Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 17, 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 Price County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (24 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$96,559paid on 6 flood claims since 1978
2003costliest year, with $72,238 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 Price County

$162,500median home value (Wisconsin $266,500, US $332,700)
1976median year homes were built (Wisconsin 1975, US 1980)
57%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
8.5%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; 10,819 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
Oneida CountyLow7
Lincoln CountyLow7
Vilas CountyLow5
Taylor CountyVery Low6
Sawyer CountyLow7
Ashland CountyVery Low12
Rusk CountyVery Low10
Iron CountyVery Low10

Common questions about Price County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Price County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Price County, about $4.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $4 million.

How many federal disasters has Price County had?

Price County has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1976, including 3 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Katrina Evacuation in September 2005.

Is Price County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 64th 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 Price County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Price 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 Price County had?

NOAA records list 25 tornadoes in Price County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on June 8, 1985. The weather service has also logged 164 hail reports and 17 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.