Natural hazards · Oakland

Oakland, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Oakland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1989. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Oakland?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Oakland to be higher than in 13% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding53%Tornadoes23%Cold waves14%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Oakland faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 25% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Cold waves

14% 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 Oakland flood?

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

2paid claims since 1989

$4Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19892026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Oakland 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 Oakland

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OaklandDeclared for Oakland County only

2023

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $14K aid approved

2021

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

10 households applied for aid

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

Oakland County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Oakland

Oakland and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Washingtonmostly inland floodingLow

Oaklandmostly inland floodingVery low

Addisonmostly inland floodingVery low

Rochester Hillsmostly inland floodingVery low

Orionmostly 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. Oakland covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Oakland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Oakland. 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 Oakland total about $6.1M 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.