Earthquake Risk in Kentucky
All Kentucky counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index earthquake score
Earthquake risk — ground shaking from sudden movement along geologic faults — is rated for 120 of 120 Kentucky counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. McCracken County carries the state's highest earthquake score at 97.6, with $38M in expected annual earthquake losses.
No Kentucky county reaches the High band for earthquake, and expected annual losses from earthquake total roughly $242M 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 | McCracken County | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $38M | |
| 2 | Graves County | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $23M | |
| 3 | Jefferson County | Medium | 0.00 / yr | $25M | |
| 4 | Daviess County | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $17M | |
| 5 | Calloway County | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $13M | |
| 6 | Christian County | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $11M | |
| 7 | Fayette County | Medium | 0.00 / yr | $9M | |
| 8 | Henderson County | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $8M | |
| 9 | Marshall County | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $8M | |
| 10 | Fulton County | Medium | 0.02 / yr | $5M | |
| 11 | Hopkins County | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $6M | |
| 12 | Hickman County | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $4M | |
| 13 | Warren County | Medium | 0.00 / yr | $6M | |
| 14 | Ballard County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $4M | |
| 15 | Union County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $3M | |
| 16 | Carlisle County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $3M | |
| 17 | Caldwell County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $2M | |
| 18 | Ohio County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 19 | Muhlenberg County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $2M | |
| 20 | Trigg County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $2M | |
| 21 | Hardin County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $3M | |
| 22 | McLean County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $2M | |
| 23 | Pulaski County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 24 | Livingston County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $2M | |
| 25 | Lyon County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $2M | |
| 26 | Crittenden County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $1M | |
| 27 | Logan County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 28 | Webster County | Low | 0.01 / yr | $2M | |
| 29 | Boone County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 30 | Barren County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $973K | |
| 31 | Laurel County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 32 | Todd County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 33 | Madison County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 34 | Simpson County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 35 | Scott County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 36 | Allen County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $946K | |
| 37 | Shelby County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $974K | |
| 38 | Kenton County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 39 | Bullitt County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 40 | Hancock County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $670K | |
| 41 | Nelson County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $875K | |
| 42 | Grayson County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $644K | |
| 43 | Knox County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $469K | |
| 44 | Whitley County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $620K | |
| 45 | Boyle County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $739K | |
| 46 | Campbell County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $923K | |
| 47 | Breckinridge County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $671K | |
| 48 | Taylor County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $577K | |
| 49 | Butler County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $602K | |
| 50 | Adair County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $452K | |
| 51 | Floyd County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $409K | |
| 52 | Monroe County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $356K | |
| 53 | Hart County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $416K | |
| 54 | Franklin County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $570K | |
| 55 | Meade County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $486K | |
| 56 | Marion County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $425K | |
| 57 | McCreary County | Low | 0.00 / yr | $258K | |
| 58 | Boyd County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $384K | |
| 59 | Bell County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $308K | |
| 60 | Clark County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $500K | |
| 61 | Mercer County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $390K | |
| 62 | Woodford County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $427K | |
| 63 | Wayne County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $264K | |
| 64 | Montgomery County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $381K | |
| 65 | Lincoln County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $318K | |
| 66 | Pike County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $281K | |
| 67 | Russell County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $269K | |
| 68 | Harlan County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $269K | |
| 69 | Oldham County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $593K | |
| 70 | Harrison County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $334K | |
| 71 | Bourbon County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $333K | |
| 72 | Jessamine County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $531K | |
| 73 | Casey County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $246K | |
| 74 | Mason County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $271K | |
| 75 | Letcher County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $204K | |
| 76 | Larue County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $343K | |
| 77 | Metcalfe County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $169K | |
| 78 | Perry County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $226K | |
| 79 | Anderson County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $326K | |
| 80 | Garrard County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $185K | |
| 81 | Fleming County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $173K | |
| 82 | Washington County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $270K | |
| 83 | Green County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $177K | |
| 84 | Rowan County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $184K | |
| 85 | Edmonson County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $204K | |
| 86 | Henry County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $187K | |
| 87 | Greenup County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $171K | |
| 88 | Johnson County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $124K | |
| 89 | Carter County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $142K | |
| 90 | Clay County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $102K | |
| 91 | Breathitt County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $103K | |
| 92 | Rockcastle County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $107K | |
| 93 | Magoffin County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $111K | |
| 94 | Leslie County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $108K | |
| 95 | Grant County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $161K | |
| 96 | Spencer County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $243K | |
| 97 | Cumberland County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $84K | |
| 98 | Nicholas County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $89K | |
| 99 | Powell County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $88K | |
| 100 | Morgan County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $112K | |
| 101 | Jackson County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $93K | |
| 102 | Clinton County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $81K | |
| 103 | Estill County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $78K | |
| 104 | Knott County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $76K | |
| 105 | Elliott County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $69K | |
| 106 | Carroll County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $91K | |
| 107 | Bath County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $90K | |
| 108 | Lawrence County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $74K | |
| 109 | Owen County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $98K | |
| 110 | Pendleton County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $80K | |
| 111 | Martin County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $42K | |
| 112 | Wolfe County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $41K | |
| 113 | Trimble County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $47K | |
| 114 | Robertson County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $40K | |
| 115 | Lewis County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $40K | |
| 116 | Bracken County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $57K | |
| 117 | Owsley County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $32K | |
| 118 | Lee County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $36K | |
| 119 | Gallatin County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $32K | |
| 120 | Menifee County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $30K |
120 Kentucky counties with measurable earthquake risk. See the national earthquake ranking or all Kentucky counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Kentucky county has the highest earthquake risk?
McCracken County has the highest FEMA earthquake risk score in Kentucky at 97.6 (Medium), with $38M in expected annual losses and about 0.01 events per year.
How many Kentucky counties face significant earthquake risk?
120 Kentucky counties record measurable earthquake risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 0 of them are rated High or Very High.