Polk County, Wisconsin: hazard risk
FEMA rates Polk County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 63.3 of 100, higher than 63% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 13 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by cold wave, strong wind. Its storm record holds 520 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 90.4 | $7.4M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 88.9 | $1.9M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 88.4 | $1.5M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 76.5 | $3.3M |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 71.1 | $513K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 60.1 | $571K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 56.2 | $79K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 55.2 | $7.7M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 43.6 | $62K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 41.7 | $29K |
| Drought | Very Low | 27.3 | $17K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 19.2 | $107 |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 5.5 | $5K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 212 | 0 | $9.2M | 53rd of 72 | 2162nd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 112 | 0 | $822K | 49th of 72 | 1967th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 109 | 0 | – | 54th of 72 | 1274th of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 34 | 4 | $75M | 29th of 72 | 1394th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 19 | 0 | – | 53rd of 72 | 1110th of 3,076 |
| Floods | 11 | 0 | $806K | 61st of 72 | 2695th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 10 | 0 | – | 45th of 72 | 1414th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 0 | $39K | 65th of 72 | 2789th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 0 | – | 54th of 72 | 1872nd of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Polk County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.