FEMA Records
16
Below median
Michigan · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Ionia County, MI
16 FEMA disaster declarations (1972-2024), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low. Most common hazard: Snowstorm.
- 16
- FEMA declarations
- 10
- Major disasters
- 56
- NRI risk · Relatively Low
- Snowstorm
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Ionia County. Its 16 FEMA declarations are 60% above the Michigan county mean and exceed the count for 27% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it in the riskiest 44%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Riskiest 44%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 16
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 37
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
FEMA OpenFEMA declaration desk
County FIPS 26067 · Ionia County 16 declarations · rank 2243/3,266
DECL-MID · MAJOR-MID · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-LOW · ACT-HIGH · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-HIGH
- DECL-MID 16
- MAJOR-MID 63%
- RANK-LOWER #2,243
- PHOTO-FINISH Greene
- NRI-LOW 56
- ACT-HIGH High
- TYPE-LEAD Snowstorm
- VS-ST-HIGH +60%
Nearest declaration peer: Greene, GA (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Michigan state profile
Ionia County among counties with fewer federal records
FEMA declaration records among Ionia County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Frontier · near 16
Frontier · near
16 declarations
- Greene · near 16
Greene · near
16 declarations
- Ionia · this county 16
Ionia · this county
16 declarations
- Terrell · near 16
Terrell · near
16 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Ionia County carries 16 FEMA declaration records, ranked 2243 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
Ionia County versus quieter counties in this dataset
Ionia County among lower-declaration counties nationally
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Ionia County
16 27th percentile higher than 27% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-25
Ionia County's FEMA Risk Index score
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Ionia County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $10.8M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively Moderate), while Strong Wind carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively High). EAL and risk score use different inputs; they need not agree.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release) - Expected Annual Loss vs composite risk rating by hazard.
What does Ionia County's hazard record show?
FEMA National Risk Index
This county carries a high composite score on FEMA's National Risk Index, 55.9/100, rated Relatively Low. Its Expected Annual Loss rating is Relatively Low (roughly $19.5M in annualized losses), and a Relatively Low social-vulnerability profile combined with Very High community resilience shapes how much of that raw exposure becomes realized harm. Of the 18 hazards FEMA models, Strong Wind stands out as the sharpest exposure here, rated Relatively High. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 3.8 times per year here, based on 143 historical events on record.
Reading the federal records together
This county has a small entry in FEMA's NFIP paid-claims table: 37 claims and $292.1K paid in total. PlainHazard calls 1-49 claims a light registry record, a label for this dataset rather than a finding that flood exposure is low. A short claims history can also reflect insurance take-up, the period covered, or losses that were never insured.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. Ionia County's 16 federal records stand 60% above the Michigan county mean of 10.0. That comparison describes how often federal action was recorded, including any Major Disaster, Emergency, and Fire Management entries shown on this page; it does not convert the count into future probability.
61 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Ionia County, MI · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) Moderate
12/30
16 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.8x national county average)
County Disaster Density Very High
20/25
16 declarations (1.6x state county average of 10)
Major Disaster Share High
16/25
10 of 16 declarations are major disasters (63%)
Hazard Diversity High
13/20
5 different disaster types declared in Ionia County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Ionia County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
63%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
56
Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Ionia County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | an average of 3.8 times per year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 4 years |
| Hail | Relatively Low | an average of 2.1 times per year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | an average of 1.5 times per year |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | roughly once every 8 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | roughly once every 3 years |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | an average of 2.1 times per year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | an average of 18 times per year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 1,330 years |
| Hurricane | Very Low | roughly once every 68 years |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 2.2 modeled event-days per year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | an average of 33 times per year |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 51,376 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Snowstorm 5
Flood 4
Severe Storm 4
Biological 2
Hurricane 1
What Snowstorm declarations mean here
Snowstorm is the most frequent declaration type on Ionia County's record, 31% of its declarations. Snow-related declarations work on a narrower basis than most other hazards: they are generally issued to reimburse the cost of snow removal and emergency protective measures, rather than to repair destroyed property.
The qualifying test is unusual too. FEMA assesses snowfall against record levels for the affected area, so the same storm total can qualify in a county where it is historically extreme and not qualify a few hundred miles north where it is an ordinary winter. A low snowstorm declaration count is therefore not evidence of mild winters.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Major Disaster - 10 62.5%
of all 16 declarations
Emergency - 6 37.5%
of all 16 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2013 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 1 | |
| 1986 | 1 | |
| 1978 | 1 | |
| 1977 | 1 | |
| 1976 | 1 | |
| 1975 | 1 | |
| 1972 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 16 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 16 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4757 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2024-02-08 |
| 4607 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND TORNADOES | DR | Severe Storm | 2021-07-15 |
| 4494 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-27 |
| 3455 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4121 | FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2013-06-18 |
| 3225 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-07 |
| 1527 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2004-06-30 |
| 3160 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2001-01-10 |
| 3137 | MI - SEVERE WEATHER 1/2 /99 | EM | Snowstorm | 1999-01-27 |
| 1226 | SEVERE STORMS | DR | Severe Storm | 1998-06-24 |
| 774 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1986-09-18 |
| 3057 | BLIZZARDS & SNOWSTORMS | EM | Snowstorm | 1978-01-27 |
| 3030 | SNOWSTORMS | EM | Snowstorm | 1977-02-05 |
| 495 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, ICING & FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 1976-03-19 |
| 465 | SEVERE STORMS, HIGH WINDS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1975-04-26 |
| 330 | SEVERE STORM & FREEZING | DR | Snowstorm | 1972-04-05 |
Storm Events in Michigan
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Ionia County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 3,010 | 10 | 18 | $173.8M |
| Winter Storm | 1,486 | 3 | 11 | $41.8M |
| Winter Weather | 1,254 | 21 | 38 | $892.0K |
| Hail | 962 | 0 | 0 | $77.1M |
| High Wind | 389 | 3 | 2 | $668.9M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
37
Total Paid
$292.1K
Avg Per Claim
$7.9K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Low
Score: 55.9/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$19.5M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively Low
Community Resilience
Very High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Strong Wind Relatively High
Tornado Relatively Moderate
Hail Relatively Low
Ice Storm Relatively Moderate
Landslide Relatively Low
Riverine Flooding Relatively Low
Cold Wave Relatively Low
Winter Weather Relatively Low
Earthquake Very Low
Hurricane Very Low
Heat Wave Very Low
Lightning Relatively Low
Wildfire Very Low
Drought No Rating
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Strong Wind
Strong Wind covers damaging non-thunderstorm, non-tornadic wind, the kind produced by steep pressure gradients and downslope events. It is a broad, frequent, low-drama hazard: roofs, signage, power lines and high-profile vehicles, spread across a wide area rather than concentrated on a path.
Worth noting for Ionia County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Strong Wind carries the highest modeled rating (Relatively High), while the county's declaration history is led by Snowstorm. That is not a contradiction, the two measure genuinely different things. Declarations record federal ACTION, which requires damage costly enough to exceed state and local capacity; the Risk Index models EXPECTED annual loss across all 18 hazards whether or not any declaration ever followed. A hazard can be the county's largest modeled exposure and never once have driven a declaration.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Ionia County's closest FEMA peer: Stillwater County, MT
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Ionia County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Ionia County shows 16 FEMA declarations, led by Snowstorm.
Similar Major-disaster share
Ionia County: 10 of 16 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Ionia County: NRI composite 55.9 (Relatively Low).
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Ionia County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Ionia County: nearest out-of-state National Risk Index composite and nearest FEMA declaration count (floor ≥5 records). Record similarity only, not a forecast of the next hazard.
Similar NRI composite
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA NRI score. This county: 55.9 (Relatively Low).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 16. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Most disaster-prone counties
With 16 FEMA declarations, Ionia County sits in the high-volume declaration band - see how that count ranks against other U.S. counties.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Ionia County?
The most common disaster type in Ionia County is Snowstorm, with 5 declarations. Other disaster types include Flood (4), Severe Storm (4), Biological (2).
How does Ionia County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Michigan average?
FEMA lists 16 declaration records for Ionia County. That is 60% above the Michigan county mean of 10.0. Its count is also 23% below the national county mean of 20.7. A larger declaration history records more federal actions; it is not a forecast of the county's next hazard.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Ionia County received?
Ionia County has received 10 major disaster declarations, representing 63% of all 16 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Ionia County filed?
Ionia County has 37 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $292.1K in payments, with an average of $7.9K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Ionia County?
No. In Ionia County, Strong Wind has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively High), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $10.8M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Ionia County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Ionia County was 2020, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1972 to 2024.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Ionia County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Ionia County, Michigan has an overall risk score of 55.9 out of 100 (Relatively Low). Social vulnerability here rates Relatively Low, while community resilience comes in at Very High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $19.5M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Ionia County?
FEMA's NRI data points to Ionia County as of the latest release is Strong Wind (risk rating: Relatively High). Other significant hazards include Tornado (Relatively Moderate) and Hail (Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts strong wind here at an average of 3.8 times per year, drawn from 143 historical events on record. FEMA derives these ratings from historical event frequency, the assets exposed, and the community's vulnerability profile.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
FEMA OpenFEMA declarations + NRI for Ionia County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Michigan profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events