Earthquake Risk in Alabama
All Alabama counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index earthquake score
Earthquake risk — ground shaking from sudden movement along geologic faults — is rated for 67 of 67 Alabama counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Jefferson County carries the state's highest earthquake score at 96.1, with $17M in expected annual earthquake losses.
No Alabama county reaches the High band for earthquake, and expected annual losses from earthquake total roughly $120M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Earthquake
| # | County | Earthquake Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson County | Medium | 0.00 / yr | $17M | |
| 2 | Madison County | Medium | 0.00 / yr | $15M | |
| 3 | Tuscaloosa County | Medium | 0.00 / yr | $7M | |
| 4 | Montgomery County | Medium | 0.00 / yr | $6M | |
| 5 | Lauderdale County | Medium | 0.00 / yr | $8M | |
| 6 | Morgan County | Medium | 0.00 / yr | $6M | |
| 7 | Colbert County | Medium | 0.00 / yr | $6M | |
| 8 | Limestone County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $6M | |
| 9 | Etowah County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $3M | |
| 10 | Marshall County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $3M | |
| 11 | Cullman County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 12 | DeKalb County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 13 | Jackson County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 14 | Mobile County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 15 | Calhoun County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 16 | Shelby County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $3M | |
| 17 | Walker County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 18 | Lawrence County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 19 | Franklin County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 20 | Lee County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 21 | Winston County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 22 | Dallas County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 23 | Marion County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $991K | |
| 24 | Talladega County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $974K | |
| 25 | Pickens County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $907K | |
| 26 | Elmore County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 27 | St. Clair County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 28 | Lamar County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $852K | |
| 29 | Sumter County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $610K | |
| 30 | Marengo County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $614K | |
| 31 | Cherokee County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $696K | |
| 32 | Blount County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $742K | |
| 33 | Houston County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $757K | |
| 34 | Baldwin County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $916K | |
| 35 | Choctaw County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $596K | |
| 36 | Tallapoosa County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $539K | |
| 37 | Autauga County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $706K | |
| 38 | Chilton County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $566K | |
| 39 | Hale County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $408K | |
| 40 | Fayette County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $413K | |
| 41 | Greene County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $309K | |
| 42 | Bibb County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $385K | |
| 43 | Perry County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $284K | |
| 44 | Macon County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $297K | |
| 45 | Coffee County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $359K | |
| 46 | Chambers County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $294K | |
| 47 | Pike County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $303K | |
| 48 | Escambia County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $255K | |
| 49 | Covington County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $233K | |
| 50 | Russell County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $268K | |
| 51 | Barbour County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $193K | |
| 52 | Butler County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $208K | |
| 53 | Clarke County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $239K | |
| 54 | Monroe County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $196K | |
| 55 | Wilcox County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $170K | |
| 56 | Clay County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $184K | |
| 57 | Lowndes County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $155K | |
| 58 | Dale County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $181K | |
| 59 | Cleburne County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $159K | |
| 60 | Randolph County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $183K | |
| 61 | Washington County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $167K | |
| 62 | Geneva County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $148K | |
| 63 | Bullock County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $128K | |
| 64 | Conecuh County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $111K | |
| 65 | Henry County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $95K | |
| 66 | Coosa County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $109K | |
| 67 | Crenshaw County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $79K |
67 Alabama counties with measurable earthquake risk. See the national earthquake ranking or all Alabama counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Alabama county has the highest earthquake risk?
Jefferson County has the highest FEMA earthquake risk score in Alabama at 96.1 (Medium), with $17M in expected annual losses and about 0.00 events per year.
How many Alabama counties face significant earthquake risk?
67 Alabama counties record measurable earthquake risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 0 of them are rated High or Very High.