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Wood County, Wisconsin

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

Relatively Low overall risk
17th of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$39Mexpected losses a year
11federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Wood County, Wisconsin has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 76% of US counties. It ranks 17th of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $39 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $531 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 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 (96 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $726,000 on 48 claims here.

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

Top risks in Wood County

$19.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 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.
$11.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 8 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.

Tornado

Moderate
$4.2 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 floodingModerate77.7
$20M
Cold waveHigh94.3
$12M
TornadoModerate79.0
$4M
HailModerate91.3
$2M
LightningModerate65.1
$461K
Heat waveLow49.6
$406K
Strong windLow35.1
$391K
Winter weatherLow54.1
$82K
Ice stormLow44.7
$74K
WildfireVery Low48.2
$48K
EarthquakeVery Low21.4
$36K
DroughtVery Low14.4
$479
LandslideVery Low28.3
$300

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 Wood County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood4
Severe Storm4
Drought1
Tornado1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 27, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 21, 2010Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 18, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes 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
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency
Apr 27, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 11
May 1, 1969FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 353 storm reports in Wood County since 1956, with 0 deaths and 32 injuries and about $76.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on August 12, 1985.

19tornadoes
139hail reports, largest 5.5 inches
166damaging thunderstorm winds
18floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Aug 12, 1985F2–14 / 0
May 7, 1964F2–14 / 0
Mar 31, 1967F2–0 / 0
Jul 22, 1967F2–2 / 0
Dec 1, 1970F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 7, 2007HailPort Edwards$45M
Aug 12, 1985Tornado–$25M
Sep 23, 2010Flash FloodKellner$2M
May 22, 2011TornadoCranmoor$1M
Jun 22, 2002Flash FloodCountywide$1M
May 25, 2021LightningWisconsin Rapids$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 Wood County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (96 policies)
17.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$726,040paid on 48 flood claims since 1978
2019costliest year, with $354,624 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 Wood County

$175,600median home value (Wisconsin $266,500, US $332,700)
1972median year homes were built (Wisconsin 1975, US 1980)
64%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.5%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; 34,755 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
Marathon CountyModerate10
Portage CountyLow10
Clark CountyLow13
Juneau CountyLow14
Jackson CountyLow12
Adams CountyLow10

Common questions about Wood County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Wood County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Wood County, about $19.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $11.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Wood County had?

Wood County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in August 2019.

Is Wood County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 17th 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 Wood County?

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

NOAA records list 19 tornadoes in Wood County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on August 12, 1985. The weather service has also logged 139 hail reports and 18 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.