Vilas County, Wisconsin: hazard risk
FEMA rates Vilas County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 63.3 of 100, higher than 63% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by cold wave. Its storm record holds 565 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 | 94.5 | $8.8M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 80.6 | $1.1M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 78.3 | $154K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 66.1 | $344K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 61.5 | $322K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 60.9 | $7.5M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 44.9 | $54K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 29.1 | $391K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 22.3 | $119 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 22.1 | $7K |
| Drought | Very Low | 20.1 | $3K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 12.7 | $22K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 2.7 | $2K |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
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 | 169 | 2 | $3.9M | 49th of 72 | 2113th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 148 | 1 | – | 34th of 72 | 833rd of 3,077 |
| Hail | 116 | 0 | $1.2M | 55th of 72 | 2204th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 46 | 0 | – | 8th of 72 | 878th of 3,063 |
| High wind and dust storms | 25 | 1 | $37K | 34th of 72 | 1480th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 23 | 0 | – | 41st of 72 | 983rd of 3,076 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 0 | $78M | 58th of 72 | 2265th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 7 | 0 | $8K | 69th of 72 | 2794th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 5 | 0 | $135K | 42nd of 72 | 1110th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 1 | 0 | – | 69th of 72 | 2304th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 0 | – | 58th of 72 | 2171st 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 Vilas County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.