Home › Wisconsin › Waushara County

Waushara County, Wisconsin

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

Relatively Low overall risk
57th of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$14Mexpected losses a year
8federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Waushara County, Wisconsin has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 57% of US counties. It ranks 57th of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and hail. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $580 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2005 (Hurricane Katrina Evacuation). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (55 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $225,000 on 24 claims here.

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

Top risks in Waushara County

$5.9 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$3.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 7 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.

Hail

Moderate
$2 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
Inland floodingLow44.9
$6M
Cold waveModerate76.5
$3M
HailModerate91.4
$2M
TornadoLow60.2
$2M
Strong windModerate60.7
$773K
Heat waveLow44.2
$291K
LightningLow27.8
$104K
DroughtLow42.9
$91K
WildfireVery Low51.3
$53K
Winter weatherLow33.3
$36K
Ice stormVery Low23.8
$23K
EarthquakeVery Low13.1
$14K
LandslideVery Low52.8
$2K
HurricaneVery Low8.9
$2K

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 relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Waushara County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm3
Flood2
Drought1
Tornado1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 18, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 19, 2002Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 11, 2001Flooding, Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jul 2, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 2, 1992Severe Storms & TornadoesMajor 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 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 269 storm reports in Waushara County since 1954, with 2 deaths and 36 injuries and about $97.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1956.

25tornadoes
78hail reports, largest 4.25 inches
148damaging thunderstorm winds
11floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 3, 1956F4–0 / 0
Aug 29, 1992F3–30 / 1
Apr 15, 1954F2–0 / 0
Apr 19, 1957F2–1 / 0
Jun 15, 2022EF1Brushville0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 22, 2002Flash FloodCountywide$36M
May 12, 2000HailColoma$26M
Aug 29, 1992Tornado–$25M
Jun 11, 2001Thunderstorm WindPlainfield$5M
Apr 3, 1956Tornado–$3M
Jun 15, 2022TornadoBrushville$645K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 1, 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 Waushara County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (55 policies)
15.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$225,461paid on 24 flood claims since 1978
2020costliest year, with $166,976 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 Waushara County

$203,100median home value (Wisconsin $266,500, US $332,700)
1977median year homes were built (Wisconsin 1975, US 1980)
54%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; 14,875 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
Winnebago CountyModerate10
Portage CountyLow10
Waupaca CountyLow9
Adams CountyLow10
Green Lake CountyLow7
Marquette CountyLow7

Common questions about Waushara County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Waushara County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Waushara County, about $5.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $3.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Waushara County had?

Waushara County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Katrina Evacuation in September 2005.

Is Waushara County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 57th 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 Waushara County?

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

NOAA records list 25 tornadoes in Waushara County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1956. The weather service has also logged 78 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.