Safest places to live in Wisconsin from natural disasters
The lowest natural-disaster risk in Wisconsin is in Ashland County, Bayfield County, Burnett County, where FEMA rates few or no severe perils. The most exposed county is Milwaukee County, driven by tornado. This page ranks every Wisconsin county by physical peril exposure, from official FEMA National Risk Index data.
Lowest-risk counties in Wisconsin
| County | Physical risk | Top severe peril |
|---|---|---|
| Ashland County | Low | none rated high |
| Bayfield County | Low | none rated high |
| Burnett County | Low | none rated high |
| Calumet County | Low | none rated high |
| Door County | Low | none rated high |
| Iron County | Low | none rated high |
| Jackson County | Low | none rated high |
| Kewaunee County | Low | none rated high |
Highest-risk counties in Wisconsin
| County | Physical risk | Driven by |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee County | High | tornado |
| Brown County | Elevated | tornado |
| Dane County | Elevated | tornado |
| Kenosha County | Elevated | tornado |
| Racine County | Elevated | tornado |
Dominant perils in Wisconsin
Across Wisconsin, the perils most often rated Relatively High or higher by FEMA are tornado, landslide. County rankings reflect physical exposure, not dollar value, so a county can rank low here even if it is densely developed. For a specific property, the flood zone and exact peril ratings matter more than the county summary.
Look up any Wisconsin address on the Safe Havens map, or read how Plattow scores risk and FEMA flood zones. See all states on the states index.