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Natural hazards · Highland

Highland, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Highland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2011. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations
Expected damage

How exposed is Highland?

19
Very low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Highland to be higher than in 19% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding44%Tornadoes31%Cold waves15%Everything else10%
By hazard

What Highland faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 28% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

31% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Cold waves

15% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Flood insurance claims

Does Highland flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Highland, from FEMA’s records.

3paid claims since 2011
$69Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
20112026
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Highland isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Oakland County.
Disasters that hit Highland

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Highland itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Township of Highland.

Brought FEMA money into HighlandDeclared for Oakland County only
2023

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

13 households applied for aid $11K aid approved
2021

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

6 households applied for aid $8K aid approved
2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

7 households applied for aid
2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved
Oakland County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Highland

Highland and the towns around it

Hartland: Very low, mostly inland floodingMilford: Low, mostly inland floodingRose: Very low, mostly inland floodingWhite Lake: Very low, mostly inland floodingTyrone: Low, mostly inland floodingBrighton: Low, mostly inland floodingOceola: Very low, mostly inland floodingLyon: Very low, mostly inland floodingCommerce: Very low, mostly inland floodingWixom: Very low, mostly tornadoesHolly: Very low, mostly inland floodingHolly: Very low, mostly inland floodingSpringfield: Very low, mostly inland floodingWaterford: Very low, mostly inland floodingHighland: Very low, mostly inland flooding HighlandHartlandMilfordRoseWhite Lake
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Milfordmostly inland floodingLow
Highlandmostly inland floodingVery low
Rosemostly inland floodingVery low
White Lakemostly inland floodingVery low
Hartlandmostly inland floodingVery low
About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.
Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Highland covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Highland’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Highland. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Highland total about $5.6M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.

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You’re in Highland, MIOakland CountyView boundary

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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